"I will be back stronger" - Adriano Moraes thanks Rodtang, Jonathan Di Bella for their support after losing to Yuya Wakamatsu

Despite a tough defeat over the weekend, Adriano Moraes left the legendary Super Saitama Arena in Japan with his head held high.

The Brazilian sensation came up short in his pursuit of a third reign as the ONE flyweight MMA world champion, suffering a first-round stoppage loss to Japanese rival Yuya Wakamatsu in thei rematch at ONE 172 last Sunday, March 23.

Entering the matchup as the odds-on favorite, Moraes was in for a surprise as Wakamatsu came out swinging right from the get-go. This effective aggression instantly reaped its reward as the Japanese hard-hitter rocked the former champion early with a solid right hand before following it up with a powerful left hook.

'Little Piranha' maintained his overwhelming pressure, delivering a left hook-right uppercut combination that put Moraes in a dazed and confused state.

Sensing that the end was near, Wakamatsu swarmed on the grounded Moraes, unleashing a flurry of strikes to secure the stoppage at the 3:36 mark of the opening round.

As Moraes sat in the locker room, grappling with the hearbreak of defeat, Rodtang Jitmuangnon approached him, offering words of comfort and support.

Jonathan Di Bella followed suit, helping Moraes to his feet before embracing him in a show of solidarity.

ONE Championship captured these poignant moments on camera, sharing them on Instagram:

In the comment section, Moraes expressed gratitude to both men, relishing their support as he looks ahead with renewed optimism:

"Thank you, my brother! I will be back stronger."

---

Adriano Moraes might run it back with Yuya Wakamatsu

With their feud deadlocked at 1-1, a decisive trilogy bout between Adriano Moraes and Yuya Wakamatsu.

Moraes currently holds the No. 1 contender spot in the promotion's flyweight MMA division, keeping him firmly in the world title conversation.

Meanwhile, Wakamatsu evened the score in their second meeting at ONE 172, setting the stage for a potential rubber match that could determine the ultimate victor in their heated rivalry.