"This is the biggest challenge for me" - Yuya Wakamatsu says it's his dream to fight for world title on home ground at ONE 172

Current number two-ranked flyweight MMA contender Yuya Wakamatsu will finally have his opportunity to fight for a world title in front of his home fans on March 23 as he takes on Adriano Moraes for the vacant ONE flyweight MMA world title at ONE 172 inside the Saitama Super Arena in Japan.

This championship bout between Wakamatsu and Moraes will be their second meeting after the latter previously submitted the former in March 2022 at ONE: X.

Ahead of this rematch with 'Mikinho,' the Japanese star spoke with ONE Championship for an interview and stated that this will be the biggest fight of his career under the promotion by saying:

"Yes, this time I can fight for a world title in Japan, I would say, this is the biggest challenge for me in my time with ONE, while I appreciate such an opportunity."

'Little Piranha' earned this latest world title opportunity with three straight victories over Xie Wei, Danny Kingad, and Gilbert Nakatani.

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Yuya Wakamatsu identifies one of the biggest difference between Japanese fighters and foreign fighters

In the same interview with ONE Championship, the Tribe Tokyo MMA representative also explained the one trait that Japanese fighters have that foreign athletes don't possess.

Yuya Wakamatsu said that the bushido spirit is always present among him and his fellow Japanese fighters and it is embedded deeply on their DNA, as he stated:

"What is special about Japanese fighters compared to foreign fighters is what is called Bushido, the spirit of the samurai we share from ancient times. Japanese people were historically mentally strong enough to do seppuku. So, this spirit is in our DNA, and we will present it to the world this time."

Fans can purchase the ONE 172: Takeru vs. Rodtang PPV card via watch.onefc.com. The card goes down inside the Saitama Super Arena in Japan on March 23.