Adriano Moraes and Yuya Wakamatsu's road to flyweight world title war at ONE 172 in Saitama

On Sunday, March 23, former longtime kingpin Adriano Moraes and Yuya Wakamatsu will add another chapter to their rivalry as they tango for the vacant ONE flyweight MMA world championship at ONE 172: Takeru vs. Rodtang.

Set to go down inside the Saitama Super Arena, the bout will mark the second time both men collide inside the circle after their initial meeting at ONE X in March 2022.

Then, Adriano Moraes defended his gold with his textbook skills on the canvas. He trapped 'Little Piranha' with his vice-like grip and locked in the match-winning guillotine choke that drew an instant tap at the 3:58 mark of round three.

Much has changed since their first encounter, and to save you the hassle, we recap Moraes and Wakamatsu's road to their hotly anticipated world title rematch in Saitama, Japan.

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Adriano Moraes' epic battles vs. Demetrious Johnson

Shortly after coming out on top against the Japanese fighter with the 10th submission win on his resume, the Brazilian kingpin ran it back with Demetrious Johnson at ONE on Prime Video 1 in August 2022.

Moraes, who became the first athlete to finish 'Mighty Mouse' just a year prior, was confident that he'd repeat history in their main event tilt inside the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

Unfortunately, Johnson gained poetic justice over the American Top Team and Constrictor Team standout, finishing him with a flying knee to secure the 26 pounds of gold.

In their rubber match on the promotion's debut on-ground showcase in the United States, ONE Fight Night 10, Adriano Moraes dished out a much better display against the American athlete.

However, Johnson emerged victorious in their trilogy and reminded the world why he's long been dubbed a contender for MMA GOAT status.

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Adriano Moraes halts two-match skid with trademark finish of Danny Kingad

Adriano Moraes used his back-to-back losses as a chance for him to continue working on his flaws and improve his overall game.

And the 36-year-old Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt showcased his evolution in his rematch against Danny Kingad at ONE 169 in November last year.

Their flyweight MMA joust inside Bangkok's Lumpinee Stadium had major world title implications as Johnson bid farewell to the sport during the live broadcast of the promotion's record-breaking sophomore outing in the United States, ONE 168: Denver in September, thus vacating the throne.

Needless to say, Moraes, the longest-reigning flyweight MMA world champion in ONE, made the most of the opportunity.

He submitted the Filipino warrior for the second time on the global stage, which sets him up for a chance to reclaim the vacant crown at ONE 172 in Saitama.

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Yuya Wakamatsu's run of three victories earns him a ticket to flyweight gold

No.2-ranked Wakamatsu, meanwhile, came out with a vengeance in his return after falling short to Adriano Moraes' bread and butter at ONE X.

Sadly, that eagerness to bounce back in style only walked him into 'Dynamic' Woo Sung Hoon's strengths, who stuffed a takedown attempt, secured mount, and rained down punches to stun the Japanese at 2:46 of their tie at ONE 163 in November 2022.

Like Adriano Moraes, 'Little Piranha' learned his lesson and has continued to prove the doubters wrong since.

He knocked out Chinese fighter Xie Wei seven months later in the first round before securing his seventh promotional win against Danny Kingad at ONE 165 in Tokyo, Japan.

Most recently, the Tribe Tokyo MMA product extended his streak to three at the expense of Gilbert Nakatani to find himself one victory away from attaining his first MMA world title inside the Saitama Super Arena at ONE 172 on Sunday, March 23.