ONE SAMURAI 1: ‘Ground TKO’ Yuya Wakamatsu Predicts Brutal Finish Against Avazbek Kholmirzaev

Reigning ONE Flyweight MMA World Champion Yuya Wakamatsu has shared his thoughts on dangerous Uzbek contender Avazbek Kholmirzaev ahead of their title clash at ONE SAMURAI 1 on April 29, backing himself to secure a ground-and-pound stoppage in front of his home fans.

The 31-year-old champion enters the bout on a five-fight winning run and appears to be operating at the height of his form. Wakamatsu holds a 10-4 record in ONE Championship, built largely on his finishing instincts and resilience inside the cage.

Across from him will be Kholmirzaev, a 25-year-old rising contender riding a six-fight winning streak of his own. The Uzbek challenger owns a 9-1 ONE record, with eight of his victories coming via finish - a testament to the explosive style that earned him this title opportunity.

Wakamatsu delivered a detailed evaluation of his opponent, describing Kholmirzaev as a modern, well-rounded mixed martial artist. While he acknowledged the challenger's versatility, the champion believes his own experience and physical strength will ultimately make the difference.

"My impression of him is that he can do everything. He has submissions and his striking is dangerous too. Overall, he's a complete fighter. And on top of that, he's young. He really represents the new generation of MMA," Wakamatsu said.

The champion also pointed out specific areas he intends to target, noting that Kholmirzaev has shown susceptibility to certain strikes and may not have faced someone with comparable physicality.

"He does get hit by right hands sometimes. And also, he's never fought someone stronger than himself like me. You'll see that in this fight. When he faces me, things that worked before won't work anymore," he said.

When asked to predict how the contest might unfold, Wakamatsu said he envisions wearing down his challenger before finishing the fight on the mat.

"I have a lot of images in my head for all the different scenarios I've thought through. But if I had to say, [I'd beat him via] ground TKO. A pound-out finish," Wakamatsu said.