ONE flyweight MMA world champion Yuya Wakamatsu will put his gold on the line against Uzbekistani slugger Avazbek Kholmirzaev at ONE Samurai 1 on Wednesday, April 29.
The showdown will unfold inside Tokyo’s Ariake Arena on the promotion’s new monthly event series from ‘The Land of the Rising Sun’. The world’s largest martial arts organization confirmed their scheduled five-round war on its official website on March 2.
Yuya Wakamatsu, ONE’s 2025 MMA fighter of the year, will arrive inside the Japanese capital on top of the world—rightfully so.
‘Little Piranha’ has been unstoppable since claiming the then-vacant flyweight MMA crown against former longtime king Adriano Moraes at ONE 172 in Saitama last March.
Get the latest updates on One Championship Rankings at Sportskeeda and more
He stunned the Brazilian veteran inside the opening round to lay his hands on MMA’s most prestigious strap and returned home with a US$50,000 performance bonus from ONE Championship Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong.
His first title defense came against another tough opponent, ONE strawweight MMA world champion Joshua Pacio, at ONE 173 in Tokyo, Japan, on Nov. 16, 2025.
Once more, the Tribe Tokyo MMA martial artist showed his chops, authoring another highlight-reel victory to ruin the Filipino’s dreams of two-division supremacy.
Yuya Wakamatsu can expect to have his hands full against Avazbek Kholmirzaev
Yuya Wakamatsu’s vicious finishes last year upped his winning streak to five, and now he’ll look to make it six back-to-back triumphs when he shares the Circle against the high-flying Kholmirzaev at ONE Samurai 1.
The Uzbek talent, 25 years of age, has built one of the most impressive winning runs on the global stage since debuting at ONE Friday Fights 50 in February 2024.
‘Ninzya’ kicked off his tenure with three finishes on ONE Friday Fights. Though he suffered a defeat to Bektur Zhenishbek Uulu in his fourth fight, the Raqobat affiliate returned to the winner’s column with a brilliant second-round rear-naked choke triumph against Valmir Galiev in December 2024.
Since then, he’s emerged victorious all of his five fights, with four wins inside the distance. Put simply, Kholmirzaev does not the judges decide the outcome of his fights.
His finishing instincts and well-rounded arsenal should match up well alongside Yuya Wakamatsu’s world-class fight IQ, technicality, and dexterity when these two throw down for the ONE flyweight MMA world title at ONE Samurai 1 on April 29.
Tickets are on sale now via ePlus and Zaiko.
Edited by Aziel Karthak
