Yuya Wakamatsu has visualized exactly how his ONE Flyweight MMA World Championship defense will end when he faces Joshua Pacio on November 16 at Ariake Arena in Tokyo.
The Japanese fighter plans to showcase his striking ability against the reigning ONE Strawweight MMA World Champion, seeking to catch Pacio cleanly during exchanges before following up with ground strikes. Wakamatsu envisions either knocking out the Filipino challenger or dropping him before securing a stoppage victory that would complete a perfect 2025 campaign.
"I want to show my stand-up game. It's really a kill-or-be-killed feeling. I want to come out on top and catch my opponent clean. Either knock him unconscious or drop him, then finish with ground-and-pound until the referee steps in. That's the ideal finish for me," Wakamatsu declared.
The 30-year-old captured the vacant flyweight title in March at ONE 172 with a first-round knockout of Adriano Moraes, delivering a career-defining performance that showcased his explosive finishing power. The victory capped Wakamatsu's evolution from raw knockout artist to complete mixed martial artist after earlier career losses to Demetrious Johnson and Moraes forced him to rebuild his approach.
Wakamatsu enters his first title defense with nine promotional victories and a four-fight winning streak. His stylistic approach relies on intelligent pressure management, stepping in and out of range to create opportunities for his powerful combinations. The champion believes his counter-striking matches up favorably against Pacio's aggressive tendencies.
"My own style is to apply pressure, stepping in and then stepping back out. So when I compare our styles, I think they match up well," Wakamatsu said.
Pacio brings a 14-4 promotional record featuring nine finishes into his flyweight debut. The 29-year-old Lions Nation MMA representative recently captured his sixth strawweight title by finishing Jarred Brooks in their trilogy bout at ONE 171 in February, evening their rivalry at 2-1. The Baguio City native seeks to become the first Filipino two-division ONE World Champion.
Despite his confidence in the stylistic matchup, Wakamatsu acknowledges the comprehensive threat Pacio presents. The Filipino's striking carries finishing power across all techniques, while his fight management and well-rounded skill set create multiple pathways to victory.
"He's a dangerous striker and a true all-rounder. He controls the fight really well. And he has knockout power in every strike. Knees, punches, and kicks are all dangerous. He can finish with one shot," Wakamatsu admitted.
