Yuya Wakamatsu predicts knockout finish against Joshua Pacio in ONE 173 world title defense

Championship warfare awaits when Japan’s newly crowned flyweight king defends his throne against a fellow divisional ruler seeking two-division glory. Yuya Wakamatsu has already visualized exactly how his first title defense ends in Tokyo.

The 30-year-old champion battles Joshua Pacio for the ONE Flyweight MMA World Title at ONE 173: Superbon vs. Noiri on Sunday, November 16, inside Tokyo’s Ariake Arena. The Japanese titleholder makes his first championship defense against the reigning ONE Strawweight MMA World Champion.

Wakamatsu enjoyed a fairytale moment in March when he knocked out Adriano Moraes in the first round at ONE 172 to claim the vacant flyweight title. Now he has the opportunity to complete a perfect 2025 by defeating another legend on Japanese soil.

The champion carries nine promotional wins and a four-fight winning streak into this blockbuster matchup. His pressure-forward style creates explosive exchanges when he steps in and out of range, forcing opponents to make split-second defensive decisions.

He anticipates a stylistic clash that produces fireworks from the opening bell. The champion plans to showcase his standup game while hunting for the clean connection that ends Pacio’s two-division dreams in devastating fashion.

“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,” he said.

“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.”

Yuya Wakamatsu acknowledges Joshua Pacio’s dangerous all-around skill set

Yuya Wakamatsu recognizes the significant threat posed by the 29-year-old Baguio City native seeking multi-division glory. Joshua Pacio arrives at flyweight as the reigning strawweight king with a 14-4 promotional record featuring nine finishes.

The Lions Nation MMA fighter recently captured his sixth strawweight title by finishing Jarred Brooks in their trilogy bout. He evened their rivalry at 2-1 after winning the last two encounters, demonstrating championship resilience when stakes reach their highest levels.

Pacio brings dangerous striking coupled with true all-around abilities that make him difficult to prepare for completely. He controls fights brilliantly while carrying knockout power in every technique from knees to punches to kicks.

His ability to finish with one shot creates constant danger throughout five-round fights. The Filipino legend proved through multiple title reigns that experience matters when pressure builds during championship rounds.

While confident in his abilities, Wakamatsu understands defeating Pacio requires perfect execution of his game plan. The Japanese champion must impose his will early while avoiding the calculated counters that made Pacio arguably the greatest strawweight in promotional history.

“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,” he said.