“I am even hungrier than before” - Yuya Wakamatsu says winning the world title hasn’t dulled his edge ahead of Joshua Pacio fight

Reaching the mountain top hasn’t diminished the hunger of reigning ONE flyweight MMA world champion Yuya Wakamatsu of Japan.

Some fighters lower their guard after capturing gold, satisfied by the sense of accomplishment.

However, Wakamatsu has experienced the exact opposite transformation after realizing his lifelong dream at ONE 172 last March, where he knocked out former multi-time champion Adriano Moraes.

'Little Piranha' made this clear ahead of his first world title defense at ONE 173: Superbon vs. Noiri.

“Yes, I think that I am even hungrier than before becoming a champion, and what I made, that result made me feel that whatever you believe, you follow that path, and I proved that,” he told the South China Morning Post (SCMP).

“I really did that, and also now I have more confidence that if I put the right effort, I will get the result.”

Wakamatsu is putting his golden belt on the line versus undisputed ONE strawweight MMA world champion Joshua Pacio on November 16 inside Tokyo’s Ariake Arena.

After enduring some highs and lows, the Tribe Tokyo MMA product knows exactly what's required to succeed at the highest levels.

For Wakamatsu, losing his edge will be such a waste, and he’s eager to prove that his reign has only just begun.

Here's the full SCMP interview:

---

Yuya Wakamatsu says winning the world title felt like vindication

Yuya Wakamatsu dealt with personal doubts after falling short against some of the biggest names in the promotion early in his career.

Despite the heartbreak, 'Little Piranha' did not quit and used those lessons to fuel his chase for greatness.

"Yes, absolutely. I was kind of feeling like if I couldn't get the title at that point, it's the end of my career. So it made me calm down and relieved, and also I felt like I survived," the flyweight MMA kingpin told SCMP.

Follow this link to purchase the ONE 173: Superbon vs. Noiri PPV.