Yuya Wakamatsu unfazed amidst great pressure ahead of Joshua Pacio title defense: “I still fight with the same determination”

ONE flyweight MMA world champion Yuya Wakamatsu is feeling the heat as he prepares for his first test as the divisional king. That said, his fire to perform at the best of his abilities remains unchanged.

'Little Piranha' puts his 26 pounds of gold on the line against reigning ONE strawweight MMA world champion Joshua Pacio at ONE 173: Superbon vs. Noiri, which emanates live inside the Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan, on Sunday, Nov. 16.

Before they lock horns, the Tribe Tokyo MMA warrior uploaded a short pre-fight interview on his official YouTube channel (@YuyaWakamatsu0209), which talked about his nerves heading into this pivotal clash.

"As a fighter, there’s never been a match where I wasn’t under any pressure. So, right until now, I still fight with the same determination," the Kagoshima native shared.

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The 30-year-old rides a four-fight winning streak heading into this battle, capped by his world title win, a first-round TKO of Adriano Moraes at ONE 172 in March.

Now, he'll be out to cancel Pacio's bid to become a two-division MMA world champion, while cementing his status as the best flyweight superstar today.

Pacio's experience in competing in world championship battles on the global stage is something Yuya Wakamatsu has to be wary of, though.

'The Passion' has excelled in several world title fights inside the ONE Circle, and like 'Little Piranha', the Lions Nation MMA representative is out to extend his three-fight win streak when ONE 173 descends inside the Ariake Arena.

Watch the full clip of his interview here:

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Yuya Wakamatsu breaks down his "ideal finish" to retain flyweight crown in Tokyo

When asked about the perfect way to wrap up his first world title defense, Yuya Wakamatsu told ONE Championship that he'd like to take out Joshua Pacio via TKO:

"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."

Putting Pacio down with strikes is easier said than done, however.

The Filipino megastar has never suffered a KO or TKO defeat across 27 professional fights, and his iron chin will certainly come in handy against someone who packs plenty of power in their fists.

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Edited by Aziel Karthak