Willie van Rooyen to face Yuya Wakamatsu at ONE SAMURAI 3

South African flyweight MMA fighter Willie ‘White Lion’ van Rooyen is set to face former ONE flyweight MMA world champion Yuya ‘Little Piranha’ Wakamatsu at ONE SAMURAI 3. The event will take place on Saturday, Sept. 12, at the Yokohama Buntai in Yokohama, Japan.

Van Rooyen, a 23-year-old Pretoria native and two-time EFC Flyweight Champion, enters the bout with an 8-1 professional record and a 75 percent finishing rate. He most recently secured a victory via third-round TKO against Jeremy Miadovia in March. Van Rooyen expressed that he views representing South Africa as a massive honor and intends to bring a ‘warrior spirit’ to the ring.

The fighter’s nickname, ‘White Lion,’ originated during his amateur career after he demonstrated resilience while recovering from a near-knockout in an early fight. Despite his aggressive fighting style, Van Rooyen emphasizes the importance of humility and sportsmanship outside of competition.