“I will really give it my all” - Yuya Wakamatsu approaching Joshua Pacio title defense the same way he always has

Yuya Wakamatsu of Japan refuses to rest on his laurels now that he’s the undisputed ONE flyweight MMA world champion.

'Little Piranha' insists the newfound fame has not gone to his head, and he remains the same hungry and humble warrior even to this day.

That same challenger’s mindset will serve him well in his upcoming title defense at ONE 173: Superbon vs. Noiri.

On Nov. 16 in Tokyo, Japan, Wakamatsu will look to fend off ONE strawweight MMA kingpin, the Philippines' Joshua Pacio, in front of his hometown fans at Ariake Arena.

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In a vlog post on his YouTube channel, Wakamatsu vowed to keep himself grounded and train harder than ever before:

"Ever since I became a champion, well, nothing has changed. My mindset and mentality remain the same. Just because I'm the champion, I'm not treating this fight any differently from the last time. I will really give it my all in this fight and the camp every day, and live as if there's no tomorrow."

Wakamatsu is a workhorse and deserves every success that has come his way.

The Tribe Tokyo MMA product continues to evolve as a martial artist and still trains with the same intensity and focus that made him dangerous in the first place.

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Yuya Wakamatsu envisions how he'll stop Joshua Pacio

Yuya Wakamatsu is a certified finisher through and through.

The Japanese fighter abhors going to the judges' scorecards and would rather win decisively in his own terms.

That said, the flyweight MMA kingpin vows to add another highlight reel finish to his resume at ONE 173 by putting Joshua Pacio's lights out.

'Little Piranha' told ONE Championship:

“In the heat of a striking battle, I want to show my stand-up game. It’s really a kill-or-be-killed feeling. I want to come out on top and catch my opponent clean. Either knock him unconscious or drop him, then finish with ground-and-pound until the referee steps in. That’s the ideal finish for me.”

Stay tuned to Sportskeeda and ONE Championship for the latest on this champion vs. champion duel.

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Edited by Aziel Karthak