‘An Extraordinary Thing To Sacrifice Everything’ – Yuya Wakamatsu Says Becoming An MMA World Champion Would Be The Ultimate Achievement
Japanese star Yuya “Little Piranha” Wakamatsu has dedicated his life to becoming a ONE World Champion, and he’ll have his opportunity at ONE 172: Takeru vs. Rodtang.
This Sunday, March 23, in front of an adoring Japanese crowd at Saitama Super Arena, the 30-year-old standout will square off with former foe Adriano “Mikinho” Moraes for the vacant ONE Flyweight MMA World Title live on pay-per-view.
For Wakamatsu, wearing 26 pounds of gold represents the absolute pinnacle of martial arts – a concrete symbol of fighting superiority.
Now in the final preparations for his hotly anticipated World Title rematch with Moraes, he spoke to onefc.com about what it means to be a ONE World Champion:
“The World Champion in my definition is, in part, it’s simply the strongest in the world. But also this includes all the effort and sacrifice.”
According to Wakamatsu, becoming a World Champion represents much more than just being the better fighter on a given day – it goes much deeper than that.
He said the prestigious belt is a reflection of the countless hours of hard work, grueling training, and sacrifices made to become the undisputed best in the world.
A World Champion, he explained, possesses a special kind of endless dedication and constant determination that sets them apart from the rest:
“It’s an extraordinary thing to sacrifice everything, to put everything toward MMA. From everyday training to personal life, everything will be part of the practice. So, the champion is such an amazing person, not just a strong guy.
“An athlete who, as a human, has overcome all difficult times – only such a fighter is entitled to be a World Champion.”
When he collides with Moraes this weekend, Wakamatsu hopes to make his home country proud and prove that he’s one of the select few worthy of being a divisional king.
What’s more, because he lost his first meeting with “Mikinho” back in 2022, he views the rematch as a chance to inspire others and showcase a warrior spirit in the face of big challenges:
“For me, to become a champion on March 23 is to show Japanese pride. And by becoming a champion myself, I can prove that Japanese fighters with Bushido pride are the strongest.
“Also, I would be able to show the audience that people can change and improve. I consider this a good opportunity to prove these things to the world.”
Wakamatsu Trusts In His Bushido Spirit
With so much on the line at ONE 172, Yuya Wakamatsu is finding confidence in his Japanese heritage.
He said that fighters like himself from the “Land of the Rising Sun” are deeply ingrained with the Bushido spirit:
“What is special about Japanese fighters compared to foreign fighters is what is called Bushido – the spirit of the samurai we share from ancient times. Japanese people were historically mentally strong enough to do seppuku (ritual suicide). This spirit is in our DNA to this day.”
That Bushido spirit is what drives Wakamatsu’s every action, from what he eats to his daily training regimen to how he performs under the bright lights on the biggest stages.
When he makes the walk to the iconic ring at Saitama Super Arena, he’ll be channeling thousands of years of Bushido pride:
“Bushido is respect for others. It’s the spirit of the respect for the discipline. In my view, it’s also to give full effort, to win, and do everything despite scars and damage, as well as to fight for your family. So, it’s like respect and discipline.”
