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Japanese MMA talent Yuya Wakamatsu's predatory fists have been the foundation of his highlight-reel wins over the past ten years, and he believes it was his trump card once more during his iconic world title win at ONE 172 last week.
'Little Piranha' stunned former longtime king Adriano Moraes in the opening round of their contest to claim the vacant flyweight MMA world title inside the Saitama Super Arena.
"I believe my keys to victory were my strategy and all the countermeasures that were well done," he told My Navi News in a post-fight interview.
"My strikes were solid, I feel like I was able to punch without getting involved in too much ground game."
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Watch the full interview here:
His crowning moment came just seconds after he caught 'Mikinho' with a clean left hook and a pair of uppercuts, which forced the Brazilian veteran to go down on all fours near the turnbuckle.
From there, the 30-year-old advanced with intent and unloaded with a mix of hammerfists and punches to earn the 13th stoppage win of his career alongside a fine US$50,000 performance bonus.
It also earned him a fourth successive win on the global stage after he dropped his previous five-fight winning streak to Moraes in their first world title encounter at ONE X.
Yuya Wakamatsu thanks Adriano Moraes for showing him what it takes to be a world champion
Yuya Wakamatsu knows he doesn't have to look far for inspiration after claiming the flyweight MMA crown at ONE 172.
In a lengthy Instagram post, the Japanese athlete praised Moraes for what he's done over the years at ONE Championship and admits he's long been inspired by the Brazilian's rise to becoming one of the finest to ever grace the Circle:
"My opponent, Adriano Moraes, as the absolute champion of ONE, has been through many more hardships than I have. He has taught me many things and left me with the image of a champion. I'm really glad I was able to fight him."
Check out Yuya Wakamatsu's post below:
ONE 172: Takeru vs. Rodtang is available via replay at watch.onefc.com.
