“I wasn't surprised” - Yuya Wakamatsu knew fellow Japanese warrior Masaaki Noiri could pull off upset vs. Tawanchai

The world may have doubted Masaaki Noiri's chances against Tawanchai PK Saenchai, but Yuya Wakamatsu said he always believed in his fellow Japanese warrior.

The new ONE flyweight MMA world champion had zero doubt that Noiri would do the improbable and capture the interim featherweight kickboxing world title at ONE 172 last month.

In one of the biggest upsets in kickboxing history, the massive underdog from Japan put on a mesmerizing display of unrelenting grit to weather early punishment from Tawanchai and viciously knock him out in front of a sold-out crowd at Saitama Super Arena.

Wakamatsu, who also struck gold earlier in the event by beating former 135-pound kingpin Adriano Moraes, shared what it was like to win a world title alongside Noiri.

'Little Piranha' detailed in an interview with My Navi News on Youtube:

"I honestly thought he would go on and beat him. So I wasn't surprised. At backstage after he won, everyone was congratulating him. And it felt great, just felt like all our tension went away."

Masaaki Noiri is indeed the walking personification of perseverance. His ONE Championship career didn't start on the right foot since he dropped his first two contests.

While lesser fighters would have given up at that point, the new interim 155-pound kickboxing world titleholder used it as motivation to realize his lifelong dream.

Watch the full interview:

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Masaaki Noiri not worrying about unification bout with Superbon

Masaaki Noiri knows the importance of rest and recovery. Plus, the 31-year-old slugger certainly deserves to enjoy the spoils of his career-defining moment a little bit longer.

While the Team Vasileus star knows he'd eventually cross paths with featherweight kickboxing world champion Superbon, he's not putting too much pressure on himself until the dotted line gets signed.

Noiri said in his own interview with My Mavi News:

"I don't really want to think about it right now. I know that fight will come, but for now I want to relax. But whatever that comes along, when the venue and the opponent is confirmed, I'll be prepared to fight again."