Joshua Pacio’s bid for history falls short as Yaya Wakamatsu defends ONE Flyweight crown

Reigning ONE Strawweight MMA World Champion Joshua Pacio fell short in his quest to make history as the first Filipino fighter to capture two divisional world titles in ONE Championship.

Facing Japan’s Yuya Wakamatsu at ONE 173: Superbon vs. Noiri on November 16 at Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Pacio ran into one of the promotion’s most dangerous fighters. Wakamatsu showcased why he is among ONE’s elite, defeating Pacio via a second-round technical knockout in the ONE Flyweight MMA World Title bout.

Pacio started the fight strongly, even wobbling Wakamatsu with a crisp right-hook combination, but his opponent quickly regained control. Using his physicality and wrestling skills, Wakamatsu dominated the exchanges, landing heavy punches and finishing with a decisive combination in the second round that prompted referee Mohamed Sulaiman to stop the fight at 54 seconds.

Filipino superstar Joshua Pacio (23-5) saw his bid for two-division glory fall short at ONE 173, as flyweight titleholder Yuya Wakamatsu (20-6) stopped him via second-round TKO in Tokyo. pic.twitter.com/GV0ICidBI2

— NISSI ICASIANO (@Nissi_Icasiano) November 16, 2025

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“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 the wrestling, but I was able to implement my own game and take the finish,” Wakamatsu said after the fight.

The victory marked Wakamatsu’s fifth consecutive win and his first successful defense of the flyweight title, improving his professional record to 20-6. Pacio, meanwhile, dropped to 14-5 in ONE Championship, suffering his first defeat since losing the strawweight belt to Jarred Brooks in Manila in 2022. Following the loss, Pacio is expected to return to the 115-pound division to resume his reign.

In the main event, Superbon Singha Mawynn defeated former interim champion Masaaki Noiri via unanimous decision to claim the undisputed ONE Featherweight Kickboxing Title.

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