UFC stars and veterans back Adriano Moraes for success at ONE X

Adriano Moraes is out to showcase why he's the king of the flyweight division when he takes on No.2-ranked contender Yuya Wakamatsu at ONE Championship’s 10th-anniversary show, ONE X, on March 26.

The Brazilian fighter is looking to defend his world title and leave the Singapore Indoor Stadium next month with another emphatic victory. If he does so, Moraes will take his name to even greater heights.

“An honor for me to defend my belt on the biggest card in @onechampionship history !!!! For Tickets to this big event LINK in my BIO !!!”

His Japanese opponent is enjoying a five-match winning run, though, so it'll be no walk in the park for the Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist on March 26. However, several top martial arts stars have backed Adriano Moraes for the win in the comments section of his latest social media post.

UFC bantamweight star Rani Yahya was one of them. The 37-year-old understands that his compatriot will be up against a knockout specialist, but he threw his support behind the champion.

Screenshot from Adriano Moraes's Instagram post.

Ahead of Adriano Moraes’ fight at ONE X, Yahya commented:

“This is yours. Your technique is superior.”

UFC light heavyweight contender Thiago Santos and former UFC welterweight star Thiago Alves also vouched for their American Top Team colleague. Santos dropped three fire emojis, while Alves described the ONE fighter's next battle as a match that’s going to be thoroughly entertaining.

Renato Moicano, who earned a rear-naked choke win over Alexander Hernandez at UFC 271 last weekend, also made his feelings for the flyweight champion clear. Like his Brazilian peers plying their trade in the North American promotion, the 32-year-old is certain that the flyweight king will defend his throne.

Moicano said:

“This is the champion!!! Nothing but respect”

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All you need to know about Adriano Moraes’ next opponent Yuya Wakamatsu

Yuya Wakamatsu is a striker who displays an endless amount of skill on the canvas whenever it is required. He is a Pancrase Flyweight Tournament Champion and hails from Kagoshima, on the southernmost tip of Japan’s four main islands.

He started his martial arts journey as a boxer but soon discovered MMA after watching one of the Singapore-based promotion's events. At 18 years old, he moved to the capital of Japan to pursue a career in the all-encompassing sport. After two years of training, he turned professional.

‘Little Piranha’ brings a 15-4 record to the Circle, with 11 of his wins coming by way of knockout. He has taken out an array of stalwarts via decision on the global stage, including Hu Yong, Reece McLaren and Dae Hwan Kim.