ONE 173: “This is actually a source of power” - Yuya Wakamatsu motivated to keep world title gold against Joshua Pacio

Reigning and undisputed ONE flyweight MMA world champion ‘Little Piranha’ Yuya Wakamatsu of Japan says he draws strength from having 26 pounds of gold wrapped around his waist.

That being said, he is determined to keep the belt on home soil when he faces off against ONE strawweight MMA world champion, the Philippines’ ‘The Passion’ Joshua Pacio, in his first title defense later this year.

Speaking to ONE Championship in a recent interview, Wakamatsu talked about his world championship mindset and revealed how his world title empowers him:

"Having the belt gives me strength. It helps me push myself harder and become stronger. People often say defending is harder than chasing, but I don't believe that. I think this is actually a source of power."

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Wakamatsu and Pacio square off at the upcoming ONE 173: Superbon vs. Noiri, which will broadcast live from the Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan on Sunday, Nov. 16.

Fans in the United States and Canada can visit ONE Championship’s official website for more information on how to watch from their location or head on over to watch.onefc.com.

Yuya Wakamatsu "truly honored" to face Joshua Pacio at ONE 173 despite shock announcement

‘Little Piranha’ Yuya Wakamatsu admits he didn’t really expect to be facing strawweight MMA king ‘The Passion’ Joshua Pacio in his first flyweight MMA world title defense.

But now that the two are set to meet at ONE 173, the Japanese star says it is an honor to face the Filipino.

He told ONE:

“When I first heard the match was confirmed, I honestly thought I’d be facing a different opponent. I never imagined it would be Joshua Pacio, the strawweight champion. I was really surprised—but at the same time, I’m truly honored and excited to share the cage with him.”

Stay tuned to Sportskeeda MMA for all the latest news and updates surrounding Yuya Wakamatsu’s next fight.

About the author

Dan is an MMA writer with 10+ years of overall experience. Before his ongoing tenure at Sportskeeda, Dan got the opportunity to be at the forefront of the sport by contributing to ONE Championship and Fight Game Asia. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology.

Dan’s connection to MMA started during the early days of the UFC and ONE Championship. He previously practiced boxing and ranks Demetrious Johnson, Anderson Silva, Georges St-Pierre, Jon Jones, and Fedor Emelianenko as the top five MMA fighters of all time.

He has covered several events onsite and on the ground for ONE Championship and hopes to continue doing so. He ensures that he churns out accurate articles by citing only legitimate sources and getting firsthand accounts through exclusive interviews whenever required.

Dan feels MMA fighter pay seems like an issue because it often gets compared to what fighters earn in boxing but that MMA will eventually catch up in the future.

His other interests include soccer and video games.

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Edited by Aziel Karthak