“Show Japanese pride” - Yuya Wakamatsu says winning a world title in Japan will be the culmination of his fighting career 

Second-ranked ONE Championship flyweight MMA contender 'Little Piranha' Yuya Wakamatsu of Japan will be looking for the most significant victory of his career when he enters the Circle this weekend.

Not only is Wakamatsu competing for the coveted ONE Championship gold, but the 30-year-old veteran will be doing so in front of his hometown crowd in Saitama, Japan.

Speaking to ONE Championship in a recent interview, Wakamatsu spoke on the magnitude of his upcoming fight, and his goal of showcasing the very best of Japanese martial arts.

'Little Piranha' told the world's largest martial arts organization:

"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."

Needless to say, Wakamatsu is faced with the opportunity of a lifetime and if he can manage to snag victory this weekend, it will be the culmination of a lifelong goal of becoming a ONE world champion.

Fans won't have to wait long to see 'Little Piranha' back in action.

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Yuya Wakamatsu faces Adriano Moraes for the vacant flyweight MMA belt at ONE 172 in Japan

No.2-ranked ONE Championship flyweight MMA contender 'Little Piranha' Yuya Wakamatsu is set to face No.1-ranked and former divisional king 'Mikinho' Adriano Moraes of Brazil.

The lock horns in a five-round battle for the vacant ONE flyweight MMA world title at ONE 172: Takeru vs. Rodtang, which is set to broadcast live from the iconic Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan this Sunday, March 23rd.

Fans in the United States and Canada can catch all the action live via global pay-per-view only on watch.onefc.com.

Stay tuned to Sportskeeda MMA for all the latest news and updates surrounding the event as it happens.