Yuya Wakamatsu Earns 2025 MMA Fighter Of The Year

ONE Championship has named Yuya Wakamatsu its 2025 MMA Fighter of the Year, recognizing the Japanese flyweight's extraordinary season that featured championship conquest, successful title defense, and US$100,000 in performance bonuses earned through back-to-back TKO finishes.

The Japanese superstar authored a storybook year that combined redemption, dominance, and the unique distinction of delivering both his championship-defining moments in front of adoring home crowds in Tokyo.

Wakamatsu's breakthrough arrived at ONE 172 in March when he challenged former ONE Flyweight MMA World Champion Adriano Moraes for the vacant title. The stakes extended beyond championship gold, Moraes had handed Wakamatsu a defeat in 2022.

Entering the bout on a three-fight winning streak, Wakamatsu delivered when it mattered most.

He systematically dismantled Moraes, securing a TKO victory that crowned him undisputed champion while settling old scores. The performance earned him a US$50,000 performance bonus and established him as the flyweight division's new king.

Eight months later at ONE 173 in November, Wakamatsu returned to Tokyo for his inaugural title defense against a dangerous challenger. ONE Strawweight MMA World Champion Joshua Pacio ventured up to flyweight pursuing two-sport championship glory in a compelling champion versus champion clash.

The 29-year-old Filipino found early success with aggressive opening attacks. However, the Japanese champion demonstrated the composure that defines great titleholders, weathering the initial onslaught before turning the tide decisively.

Round two brought the defining sequence when Wakamatsu landed brutal grounded knees that crumpled Pacio, forcing a TKO stoppage that preserved his championship. The finish earned Wakamatsu his second US$50,000 performance bonus of 2025.

The Fighter of the Year honor recognizes Wakamatsu's flawless 2-0 championship year, but the award carries deeper significance. He avenged a personal defeat, captured vacant championship gold, defended against a fellow divisional king.

With championship gold secured, his legacy enhanced, and recognition as 2025's best mixed martial artist confirmed, Yuya Wakamatsu enters 2026 as the flyweight division's undisputed king and one of ONE Championship's most compelling champions.