“Defending My Home Turf” – Yuya Wakamatsu looks to secure the world title by defeating ONE newcomer Gilbert Nakatani

Long a mainstay of MMA’s flyweight elite, Wakamatsu will enter this contest riding a two-fight win streak that has earned him the No. 2 spot in the division’s rankings – and has him knocking on the door of a world title shot.

Following the retirement of former titleholder Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson earlier this year, the MMA flyweight throne is now vacant and up for grabs.

“Little Piranha” knows exactly what is at stake at ONE Fight Night 26. He knows that a loss to the talented American would send him to the back of the queue, where he would have to restart his climb toward gold.

But he told onefc.com that he doesn’t feel any added pressure ahead of the clash with Nakatani. Instead, he sees it as an opportunity to prove that his six years of experience in the largest martial arts organization in the world sets him apart from the rest of the pack:

“It could be risky depending on how you look at it. But I feel like I have an advantage because of the experience I’ve gained in ONE competitions. It’s like defending my home game – I’m determined not to lose.”