Yuya “Little Piranha” Wakamatsu makes his second title defense when he faces Avazbek “Ninzya” Kholmirzaev at ONE Samurai 1 on Wednesday, April 29, at Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan.
Wakamatsu’s road to the belt is one of ONE Championship’s great comeback stories. He endured crushing losses to Demetrious Johnson and Adriano Moraes before clawing his way back. His moment finally arrived at ONE 172 in March 2025, when he stopped Moraes in the first round at Saitama Super Arena to claim the vacant flyweight throne.
He then made his first defense at ONE 173, surviving early trouble against strawweight king Joshua Pacio before stopping him with ground-and-pound knees in the second round. Now riding a five-fight winning streak, he faces his most dangerous challenger yet on home soil.
Avazbek Kholmirzaev charges into ONE Flyweight MMA World Title shot on six-fight winning streak
Avazbek Kholmirzaev has done everything right since arriving in ONE Championship. The 24-year-old Uzbek tore through the ONE Friday Fights series with a string of highlight-reel finishes. That run earned him a US$100,000 contract with a dominant performance over Tatsumitsu Wada at ONE Friday Fights 116.
He wasted no time making his mark on the main roster. He submitted the unbeaten Willie van Rooyen in his promotional debut at ONE Fight Night 37. He then overcame early adversity to stop veteran Jeremy Miado in the second round at ONE Fight Night 38.
Kholmirzaev carries a 9-1 promotional record and a six-fight winning streak into this bout. His 93 percent finishing rate makes him one of the most dangerous men in the flyweight division.