ONE Championship contender Xie Wei is looking to move up in a big way in the promotion’s stacked flyweight division, and his road starts this Friday. “The Hunter” is set to take on Japanese star Yuya Wakamatsu at ONE Fight Night 12: Superlek vs. Khalilov inside the historic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, on July 14, and the crucial bout could have interesting results for the victor.

Xie’s three-fight winning streak was snapped last year, when he succumbed to a rear-naked choke against current #4-ranked contender Reece McLaren. He still holds the fifth position in the rankings, however, and will be looking to bounce back in a big way by overcoming the always dangerous “Little Piranha.”

Xie Wei lauded his opponent’s skills and predicted an exciting bout

In an interview with ONE Championship, the Chinese competitor offered an assessment of his opponent, who he believes will be a worthy dance partner. “Yuya is a very good kickboxer. His throws and defense are great. I (usually) stand in the middle or near [my opponent], and he stays in the middle or far away. I believe this match will be very exciting. Although he has the ability to finish, I also have [a similarly good finishing rate],” Xie said.

“We both have strong KO abilities. But since I entered ONE, all the matches, no matter whether strong or weak, have been finishes. So I think I’m stronger than him.” The 26-year-old has won eight of his 10 fights in the promotion, with each victory coming before the judges’ scorecards.

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For his part, Wakamatsu is a veteran who has faced the very best in the flyweight division. Through nine fights in ONE, the Tribe Tokyo MMA representative has been responsible for welcoming Demetrious Johnson to Asia, and he has also gone toe to toe with former World Champions Geje Eustaquio and Adriano Moraes.

Xie Wei wanted to climb up the ranks and challenge Demetrious Johnson after this victory

Xie believes he is ready for the biggest names in the division, and a win over Wakamatsu will allow him to put his name in the hat of potential future opponents for the reigning ONE Flyweight World Champion.

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“If I win [against] Yuya, I will be calling for a fight against DJ, and I’m one of his biggest fans. This is what I will be expecting,” he said.