“I have to give everything” - Yuya Wakamatsu out to prove his bushido spirit in world title redux against Adriano Moraes at ONE 172

Yuya Wakamatsu is dead set on channeling his inner samurai warrior when he takes his second shot at ONE Championship gold. The Japanese standout will face off against old nemesis Adriano Moraes for the vacant ONE flyweight MMA world title at the stacked ONE 172: Takeru vs. Rodtang card on Sunday at the historic Saitama Super Arena.

In an interview with ONE Championship, Wakamatsu admitted that his previous attempt at the flyweight MMA throne against Moraes was him succumbing to the pressure of fighting for a world title.

Wakamatsu has since recovered from the setback and plans to lay it all on the line against Moraes in their world title redo.

Yuya Wakamatsu said:

"It's really just a battle with myself. I have to give everything to get this world title, as if this is the last chance. By becoming a world champion myself, I can prove that Japanese fighters with the bushido spirit are the strongest."

'Little Piranha' first challenged for the flyweight MMA gold when he faced then-holder Moraes for the strap at ONE X, ONE Championship's 10th-anniversary showcase, in 2022.

Wakamatsu's bid for the throne, however, fell flat after he lost to Moraes via third-round submission in Singapore.

Nevertheless, the 30-year-old striker worked his way back up the world title picture with a stellar three-fight winning streak over Xie Wei, fellow world title contender Danny Kingad, and Gilbert Nakatani.

ONE 172 is available live on pay-per-view at watch.onefc.com.

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Yuya Wakamatsu plans to make his hometown fans proud at ONE 172

For Yuya Wakamatsu, there's no better feeling than capturing ONE Championship gold in front of his home fans. Wakamatsu has a chance to fulfill his dream if he could upend Adriano Moraes for the vacant ONE flyweight MMA world title at Saitama Super Arena, a venue often considered one of the most fabled grounds in combat sports.

In an interview with ONE Championship, Wakamatsu said he has the opportunity to showcase his warrior spirit and give pride to a nation that's always loved its martial arts heroes.

He stated:

"For me, to become a champion in the upcoming world title match on March 23 is to show Japanese pride. And by becoming a champion myself, I can prove that Japanese fighters with the Bushido pride are the strongest."