"Pacio has beaten some really strong fighters" - Yuya Wakamatsu is not taking fellow champ lightly ahead of ONE 173

Japanese fighter Yuya Wakamatsu is showing nothing but respect for Joshua Pacio ahead of their all-champion showdown on the blockbuster ONE 173 in Tokyo, Japan.

That evening, 'Little Piranha' hopes to ruin the ONE strawweight MMA world champion's mission to become a two-division king. Their scheduled five-round contest inside Tokyo's Ariake Arena on Sunday, Nov. 16, will also mark Wakamatsu's first test as the king of the division.

"Pacio has beaten some really strong fighters, so even though he's coming up from a lower weight class, he's not to be underestimated. I think he's a champion who represents ONE," Yuya Wakamatsu told ONE Championship when asked about his thoughts on Pacio.

'Little Piranha's' respectful assessment reflects his understanding of the caliber of opposition that Pacio has conquered throughout his electric campaign on the global stage.

The Lions Nation MMA athlete, indeed, has been thrown into the deep end on countless occasions in the world's largest martial arts organization.

Still, he's impressed with each passing challenge, even finishing longtime rival Jarred Brooks with a stunning ground-and-pound sequence at ONE 171: Qatar in their rubber match earlier this year.

That said, Wakamatsu rides a huge wave of momentum heading into this title defense, and he should have the confidence and the abilities needed to overcome the ever-tricky Pacio when they collide at ONE 173.

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Yuya Wakamatsu promises to be on a constant grind ahead of first world title test

Like Pacio, Yuya Wakamatsu's rise to the throne was a journey filled with one tough test after another.

However, the Tribe Tokyo MMA product finally brought an end to his wait for world championship glory when he finished Adriano Moraes in the opening round of their world title tiff at ONE 172 this past March.

Now, with 26 pounds of gold wrapped around his waist, 'Little Piranha' knows he doesn't have time to rest on his laurels. The 30-year-old vows to give it all he's got throughout fight camp in search of a pivotal win in the Japanese capital city on fight night.

"With three and a half months to go, I'll keep pushing myself every day. On fight day, I want to be the strongest version of myself yet. Please look forward to it!" Yuya Wakamatsu told ONE in the same interview.