The reigning and undisputed ONE flyweight MMA world champion, Yuya ‘Little Piranha’ Wakamatsu, of Japan, will make the first defense of his coveted gold later this year. But even the 30-year-old veteran was surprised by who the opponent turned out to be.Wakamatsu will face ONE strawweight MMA world champion ‘The Passion’ Joshua Pacio of the Philippines at the upcoming ONE 173: Superbon vs. Noiri, which will broadcast live from the Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan, on Sunday, November 16.Speaking to ONE Championship in a recent interview, Wakamatsu says he was flabbergasted by the announcement that he and Pacio would square off at home in Tokyo. View this post on Instagram Instagram Post‘Little Piranha’ told the world’s largest martial arts organization:"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."Fans in the United States and Canada can visit watch.onefc.com for more information on how to watch the event from their specific location.Yuya Wakamatsu dedicates first world title defense to Japanese fansThe flyweight MMA king Yuya ‘Little Piranha’ Wakamatsu can’t wait to step inside the Circle to face ‘The Passion’ Joshua Pacio at ONE 173: Superbon vs. Noiri in November.And he wants to thank his hometown fans for all the support, heading into the biggest fight of his career.He told ONE Championship:“To all the fans in Japan—thank you always for your support. 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!"Stay tuned to Sportskeeda MMA for all the latest news and updates surrounding Yuya Wakamatsu’s next fight.