Photo via ONE Championship PR
Yuya Wakamatsu ONE: Winter Warriors post-event interview
Yuya Wakamatsu bested Yong Hu via unanimous decision at ONE: Winter Warriors. This flyweight fight transpired at Singapore Indoor Stadium on December 3rd.
Wakamatsu took part in an internal Q&A session curated by ONE Championship after the contest. A few excerpts from that are below.
Yuya Wakamatsu
Wakamatsu’s placement in the division and thoughts on his performance
“In the beginning right before the fight, I was thinking about showing my strikes and going for the KOs. Which I think everyone was expecting but I also wanted to show my new version of myself. So I went for the takedown and grabbed control. It actually went well. So I tried to finish him and submit him. I won but that’s how it went.”
Matt Hume being complimentary of Wakamasu’s star potential and Yuya’s thoughts on that
“Of course it’s really happy to hear Matt Hume’s compliment. But the important thing is that I keep on training. Actually become a champion and a great fighter. That Matt Hume thinks. So I just have to keep up the training.”
If this win sent a message to ONE flyweight world champion Adriano Moraes
“I definitely think that I was able to send him a message. That I’m just not only a striker but a well-rounded athlete.”
His time training in the US at Sanford MMA and working in Japan
“Well, basically I was training in Japan. If I talk about technique in Sanford, I improved my wrestling. Didn’t really learn anything new. But mostly in Japan. But yeah, it was a good experience.”
If he has any other thoughts for the champ Adriano Moraes
“I just want to fight you. So that’s what I think right now. Nothing else.”
If Yuya Wakamatsu has established himself as one of the division’s best here
“I do have confidence that I could become the number one. That’s what I’m aiming for. But in this world, it’s not that easy. Sometimes things don’t go as well as I think. But yeah, I am confident. I’m aiming for the top.”
