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ONE Championship's ten-year anniversary show, ONE: X, will have a strong Japanese contingent on the card, including Yuya Wakamatsu.
You've got legends like Shinya Aoki, Yoshihiro Akiyama and Mei Yamaguchi fighting on the main card. There are also rising stars like Itsuki Hirata and Hiroki Akimoto.
The most high-profile spot, however, goes to surginig Japanese flyweight Wakamatsu. 'Little Piranha' will be fighting for the flyweight belt in the co-main event against champion Adriano 'Mikinho' Moraes.
In a recent YouTube vlog released by ABEMA FIGHTING CH, we see Wakamatsu sharpening his best weapons: his hands.
It looks like the surging knockout artist is going to stick to his guns in his title fight. They are the reason why he's reached the top, after all. Sparring with a professional boxer, we see how Wakamatsu uses his jab and distance to land his thunderous right hand.
Though he's not at the level of a world-class boxer, Wakamatsu has the agility, distance control and, most importantly, the power to be competitive with his hands.
Watch the full training vlog here:
Matt Hume on Yuya Wakamatsu: "He's got everything to be a star in ONE Championship"
Late last year, MMA legend and former coach of Demetrious Johnson, Matt Hume, spoke to ABEMA about Yuya Wakamatsu. The former Pancrase fighter sang the Japanese fighter's praises and saw tremendous potential in him.
In the interview, Hume said:
"I think Yuya [Wakamatsu] has everything it takes to land a knockout punch on Adriano Moraes if they end up meeting. He's got everything to be a star in ONE Championship."
Catch the interview below:
If Hume is right and Wakamatsu does connect with his knockout punch against Adriano Moraes, then we will have a new ONE flyweight champion. With 'Little Piranha' already sharpening the tools that brought him to the dance, we say the idea is dangerously close to becoming a reality.
Only time will tell. Make sure to tune in on March 26 to watch the action and drama unfold inside the ONE Circle.
