Yuya Wakamatsu and Christian Lee successfully defended their ONE MMA World Titles with second-round TKO victories at ONE 173 on Sunday, November 16, in Tokyo, earning $50,000 performance bonuses from ONE Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong.
Wakamatsu made his first flyweight title defense against reigning ONE Strawweight MMA World Champion Joshua Pacio inside Ariake Arena. The Japanese athlete faced early adversity when Pacio stunned him with short hooks before attempting a guillotine choke, forcing Wakamatsu to demonstrate his resolve.
The titleholder recovered to trap Pacio's back and unleash sustained offense throughout the opening round. Wakamatsu landed punches and grounded knees in a relentless barrage, though the Filipino challenger showed characteristic toughness by surviving to the second frame. That resilience proved temporary as Wakamatsu connected with a clean one-two combination that dropped Pacio at 54 seconds of round two before finishing with knees to the head that prompted the stoppage.
The victory confirmed Wakamatsu's status atop the flyweight division while preventing Pacio from becoming the first Filipino two-division ONE MMA World Champion. The performance showcased Wakamatsu's ability to overcome adversity and finish elite opposition, validating his March title-winning knockout of Adriano Moraes.
Lee handed undefeated Turkish challenger Alibeg Rasulov his first career defeat in their lightweight title rematch, settling their business after their initial meeting ended in a no-contest due to an accidental eye poke last December. The two-division ruler denied every takedown attempt from the Dagestani wrestler before finding success with strikes in the second round.
Lee connected with a knee to the body and high kick that hurt Rasulov, creating the opening for the finish. When the challenger shot for another takedown, Lee sprawled and trapped him in a D'Arce choke before unleashing grounded knees until the referee intervened at 2:32 of round two. The victory improved Lee's record to 18-4 with 17 finishes while maintaining his status as one of ONE Championship's most dominant belt holders.
Both champions demonstrated the finishing ability and mentality required to overcome dangerous challengers on one of the promotion's biggest cards of 2025.
