“His wrestling felt very strong” - Yuya Wakamatsu gives credit to fallen Filipino foe Joshua Pacio after ONE 173 KO

Yuya Wakamatsu of Japan successfully retained his ONE flyweight MMA world championship in the co-main event of ONE 173: Superbon vs. Noiri.

‘Little Piranha’ secured another highlight-reel knockout against reigning strawweight MMA kingpin Joshua Pacio in the blockbuster card on Nov. 16 at Ariake Arena in Tokyo.

It was the biggest win of Wakamatsu’s career, and the Tribe Tokyo MMA affiliate expressed his respect for the Filipino superstar during the ONE 173 post-fight press conference:

"Yeah, so he dropped me with a left hook, but then he came to grapple and I was still clearing the cobwebs, but his wrestling felt very strong. But I came in prepared to leave it all out in the first round, and when I was able to get to the side of turtle, I was throwing ground and pound as hard as I could."

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Pacio looked like he was about to secure two-division supremacy when he dropped Wakamatsu with a left hook early in Round 1.

However, the Japanese star weathered the storm and turned things around. Wakamatsu hurt Pacio with a brutal right cross in Round 2 and finished him off with devastating ground strikes.

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Yuya Wakamatsu reveals his biggest motivations to strive for greatness

Yuya Wakamatsu doesn't just fight for personal glory. He carries the hopes of the entire country on his shoulders, along with the support of his family and loved ones.

That alone makes him a dangerous man.

'Little Piranha' told Mitch Chilson in his in-Circle interview via translator:

"There could have been a different world where I lost, but I've been able to stay at the top here and fight. I do this for my family, my intent is to keep ONE as the number one organization in the world, and thank you very much."

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Edited by Aziel Karthak