Avazbek Kholmirzaev Earns Flyweight MMA Gold With Elbow Knockout of Yuya Wakamatsu At ONE SAMURAI 1
Avazbek “Ninzya” Kholmirzaev headed to Tokyo’s Ariake Arena confident that he could finish reigning ONE Flyweight MMA World Champion Yuya “Little Piranha” Wakamatsu, and he lived up to that promise at ONE SAMURAI 1.
The Uzbekistani dynamo silenced the deafening crowd inside the Japanese capital city with his finest highlight-reel moment yet, live via pay-per-view, on Wednesday, April 29.
From the opening bell, the contest unfolded at a breakneck pace. Both athletes displayed their complete MMA arsenal, keeping the action tight behind constant attacks.
However, a missed takedown attempt from the Raqobat Gym fighting pride allowed “Little Piranha” to land grounded knees early. The Uzbek recovered well, timely reversing positions with a powerful fireman’s carry, setting the tone for a chaotic brawl on the canvas.
Kholmirzaev edged Wakamatsu in that department, utilizing his judo prowess with multiple throws and relentless control from top position – even mixing in strikes as he creatively hunted for submissions.
“Ninzya’s” onslaught forced The Tribe Tokyo MMA representative to respond with urgency. Wakamatsu retaliated with grounded knees and caught the in-form challenger with a sneaky punch after an axe kick attempt.
Not even a sheet of paper could separate the two in the opening frame, and the match continued on a similar gear in the second round. Wakamatsu surged forward with punching combinations, but the 25-year-old showed calm in the storm.
He evaded the Japanese fighter’s best attacks and launched with another aggressive takedown. “Little Piranha” answered with strong sprawls as he freed himself from a dangerous crucifix position to keep himself in the fight. Unfortunately, it didn’t last long.
During a close-range exchange after taking an elbow from Wakamatsu, Kholmirzaev fired back with a spinning back elbow that landed flush, separating the reigning king from his consciousness at the 4:53 mark of round two and instantly changing the atmosphere inside the Ariake Arena.
With the knockout, the 25-year-old became the first Uzbekistani World Champion in the organization.
The newly crowned ONE Flyweight MMA World Champion improved to 16-2 with 15 finishes and, to make matters sweeter, walked away with a 7.5 million Japanese yen (roughly US$50,000) performance bonus.
