"We can finally be together" - Yuya Wakamatsu celebrates with kids backstage after explosive world title defense against Joshua Pacio

With the weight of world championship glory lifted from his shoulders, Yuya Wakamatsu traded the intensity of the Circle for the embrace he'd been longing for throughout fight camp.

Shortly after successfully defending his ONE flyweight MMA world title for the first time with a devastating second-round TKO of Joshua Pacio, the 30-year-old Japanese fighter shifted from warrior mode to what matters most: being a father.

ONE Championship captured the heartwarming moment on Instagram during ONE 173: Superbon vs. Noiri on Sunday, November 16, inside Tokyo's Ariake Arena, showing 'Little Piranha' carrying his children in his arms backstage while expressing the emotions of a dad who had been separated from his kids during the grueling fight camp.

"I can finally play with you. Musashi, we can finally play. We can finally be together. We were apart for a long time, right? Papa was away, right? You guys were all alone, right?" Yuya Wakamatsu told his children, his voice full of emotion.

The touching scene provided a stark contrast to the violence he had just unleashed inside the Circle, where he earned his fifth consecutive triumph in the world's largest martial arts organization with brutal knees to a grounded Pacio that forced the stoppage at just 54 seconds of round two.

For the Tribe Tokyo MMA fighter who had just defended his crown on home soil while earning a US$50,000 performance bonus, reuniting with his little champions and his wife represented the emotional payoff for weeks of separation and sacrifice.

Watch the clip featuring Yuya Wakamatsu here:

Fight fans who weren't able to catch ONE 173: Superbon vs. Noiri live can purchase the pay-per-view replay at live.onefc.com.

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Yuya Wakamatsu gives credit to Joshua Pacio for making him work extra hard for the win

Though he exited the Ariake Arena with a memorable victory, Yuya Wakamatsu gave credit to his dance partner, Joshua Pacio, for providing him a tough battle from the sound of the bell.

During his post-fight speech with Mitch Chilson, 'Little Piranha' admitted that Pacio's barrage of strikes in the opening stanza got the better of him. Moreover, he revealed that he was caught off guard by 'The Passion's skills on the canvas.

"First of all, thank you, everyone, and thank you to my opponent, Joshua Pacio. I was really aiming to finish him in the first round, but he rocked me hard with those shots."

"He was a lot better than I expected, especially with wrestling. But I was able to implement my own game and get the finish," the Tribe Tokyo MMA athlete shared via translator.