ONE Fight Night 38 post-fight recap and review: Diogo Reis claims flyweight submission grappling crown in masterclass vs Daiki Yonekura

Diogo Reis showed the global stage why he is indeed a generational talent by capturing the vacant ONE flyweight submission grappling world title at ONE Fight Night 38 on Prime Video last Friday, Dec. 5.

Right from the start, ‘Baby Shark’ displayed his dazzling speed and high fight IQ. The Brazilian prodigy landed a quick takedown and broke through Daiki Yonekura’s defenses by passing from the side straight to the north-south position.

The Japanese grappler’s strong frame and smooth inversion allowed him to retain his guard.

Seeing Yonekura’s flexibility, Reis wisely switched his attacking method by controlling his opponent's shin to neutralize his movement.

Soon enough, Reis found success with a classic knee cut, controlling the Japanese’s head to reach side control.

‘Baby Shark’ then threatened with a deep head-and-arm choke, which also allowed him to reach full mount.

But Yonekura executed some masterful hip escapes to relieve the pressure and eventually got out, earning some adulation from the crowd.

He showed signs of life near the end of the match, finding a small opening to wrestle up and get top position.

However, Reis showed he is a dynamic and well-rounded athlete who’s equally proficient off his back.

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Official result: Diogo Reis defeats Daiki Yonekura via unanimous decision

The pair figured in a fiery race to the finish, as they switched roles. This time, Yonekura applied some pressure passing, while Reis stayed offensive off his back.

‘Baby Shark’ found a way to the Japanese fighter’s neck with an arm-in guillotine, but couldn’t quite get the bite that he wanted as they tussled near the ring ropes.

As the clock wound down, chaos ensued with both elite grapplers scrambling for finishes by trading foot locks.

Yonekura went for the knee bar, while Reis responded with a nasty toe hold that appeared tighter. The Japanese star had to let go of his submission attempt just to survive as time expired.

Reis' relentless attack earned him the clear victory from the judges, as the two-time ADCC world champion claimed his 94th career victory along with ONE Championship gold.