Yuya Wakamatsu won't settle for 'an uninteresting decision' win over Gilbert Nakatani: "I'll be looking for a finish"

Japanese star Yuya Wakamatsu doesn't want to bore the audience when he competes on the global stage next – he is all fired up to put on a show.

'Little Piranha' squares off against American debutant Gilbert Nakatani in a flyweight MMA joust at ONE Fight Night 26. The card emanates live from the legendary Lumpinee Stadium on December 6.

Ahead of fight night in Bangkok, Thailand, the former ONE flyweight MMA world title challenger and No.2-ranked competitor told ONE Championship:

"Winning an uninteresting decision doesn't mean much to me. From the first second to the last, I'll be looking for a finish, as always. I also want to show how much I've evolved, especially over my last two fights."

Across 17 wins in his career, the striking wizard has finished 12 fights inside the distance and only went to the distance five times.

By the looks of it, Yuya Wakamatsu is game to increase his finishing rate, pick up a third successive win, and punch his ticket to a shot at the vacant flyweight crown at ONE Fight Night 26.

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Reece McLaren backs old rival Yuya Wakamatsu for success on December 6: "Yuya will win that"

Reece McLaren — who faces Jarred Brooks in another pivotal flyweight matchup at ONE Fight Night 26 — thinks Yuya Wakamatsu will get the W and hand Gilbert Nakatani a debut to forget inside the Mecca of Muay Thai.

Offering his thoughts on this clash, he told Sportskeeda MMA:

"I think Yuya will win that. I think out of all of us, he's one of the more well-improved. I think he had lots of room to improve, and he's made those improvements. Man, Yuya has impressed me."

ONE Fight Night 26, ONE Championship's final American primetime card of 2024, will be available to active Amazon Prime Video subscribers in the United States and Canada, live in U.S. primetime, on Friday, December 6.