"The crowd really gave me power" - Yuya Wakamatsu leaning on Japanese fans to carry him to victory against Joshua Pacio

Yuya Wakamatsu discovered the power of home-field advantage when he captured world championship gold, and he's counting on that energy again.

The reigning ONE flyweight MMA world champion makes his first world title defense at ONE 173: Superbon vs. Noiri inside Tokyo's Ariake Arena this Sunday, November 16.

He squares off against ONE strawweight MMA world champion Joshua Pacio, who attempts to gain two-division world champion status in the Japanese capital city.

In an exclusive interview with the South China Morning Post (SCMP) ahead of their all-champion showdown, the 30-year-old Tribe Tokyo MMA warrior reflected on how the passionate Japanese crowd fueled his title-winning performance and why competing on home soil again provides a crucial advantage.

"Yes, winning the title in [my] home country and also fighting in front of the Japanese fans made me really more powerful," Yuya Wakamatsu told SCMP.

"The crowd really gave me power, and also when I got the win, every loss, even like against Adriano Moraes before, all paid off, and yeah, it gave me all the positive impact."

Watch his full interview with SCMP below:

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Yuya Wakamatsu's home advantage could prove decisive against Joshua Pacio

It is clear that he performs at his best with the support of his Japanese fans, as seen in his title-clinching first-round finish of Adriano Moraes at ONE 172 in Saitama this past March.

As such, the Tokyo-based warrior will feel at home once again on November 16.

Meanwhile, the 29-year-old Pacio has previously stated he won't be fazed by competing in enemy territory, but Wakamatsu's first hand experience suggests the crowd impact runs deeper than the Filipino warrior might anticipate.

Who walks out of the Ariake Arena as the flyweight MMA king? Will Wakamatsu extend his reign, or can the Filipino create history on fight night?

Fight fans can secure their pay-per-view passes for ONE 173: Superbon vs. Noiri at live.onefc.com. The promotion's star-studded return to Japan goes down inside the Ariake Arena this Sunday.