ONE Strawweight World Champion Yoshitaka Naito is best known for his tenacious grappling attack, but he is starting to become equally famous for his fascination with Japanese geek culture, also known as “Otaku” culture. More specifically, his love for anime, comic books, and manga.

“I have more comics than regular books,” the 32-year-old proudly admits. “It’s easier to read and in Japan, there are plenty of different comic books, so I never get sick of it.”

As a child growing up in Chiba, Japan, Naito built up an extensive collection of comic books and mangas. The title he seems to connect with the most, however, has been Doraemon.

Created in December 1969, Doraemon features Nobita, an awkward young boy who looks like a complete geek, but doesn’t have the intellect or the drive to match his appearance. 

“Doraemon was on TV all the time,” an excited Naito recalls. “It was a big hit. I loved to watch TV, so naturally it became one of my favorite anime. I’ve been watching it ever since I was a little kid.”

Watching the television show and reading the comics were one thing. But four years ago, the fighter took his passion for Doraemon to another level when he intertwined the Otaku staple into his livelihood.

In 2012, as Naito was preparing to make his professional mixed martial arts debut for Shooto, he was trying to come up with a cool nickname that reflected his personality. On the advice of his fellow Paraestra teammates, he settled on a modern day anime figure he could identify with all too well.

“At the gym, when I had to decide my ring name, everyone said I should be named ‘Nobita,’ probably because I was wearing glasses and I was also a loser that can’t really do anything. It was a familiar character for everyone,” he says. 

“Also, basically, I was never a smart guy, so that is why Nobita resonates with me,” he continues. “It’s not really about liking him, but more about that I feel a sense of closeness with Nobita.”

The similarities are fairly apparent. Upon first glance, neither Nobita or Naito are intimidating. They both look like bookworms, yet ironically they weren’t the best students in high school. Perhaps the main difference, however, is no one ever pushed the Japanese mixed martial artist around, whereas the manga icon was picked on nonstop. 

Also, there isn’t any denying that Nobita is portrayed as the ultimate underdog, and being the underdog is something Naito can relate to. In fact, he’s had some recent experience.

Back in May, Naito left Shooto, vacating his Flyweight Championship belt, and made his ONE Championship debut at ONE: KINGDOM OF CHAMPIONS. It was against then-ONE Strawweight World Champion and legendary Muay Thai fighter Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke for the title, and it was in the champ’s home country of Thailand.

Though Naito won the contest and took home the belt that night with a fourth-round submission, he can draw a comparison to the anime character’s signature flair: “It’s closer to when Nobita is going into the fight not confident, not sure whether he can win and face the bullies. I could relate to that, I guess.”

That lack of confidence is somewhat thematic, as a nervous energy seeps through his voice when thinking about Joshua Pacio in anticipation of their upcoming title fight this Friday, 7 October, at ONE: STATE OF WARRIORS.

For instance, the champ says of Pacio and his camp, Team Lakay: “I don’t know about other gyms, but I’m sure they are going through hard training,” before blurting out phrases like, “I’m scared,” “it’s fearful,” and, “I’m freaked out.”

Whether Naito truly feels that way or not is yet to be determined. But for now, we’ll consider it as part of his charm.

The connection the Japanese wrecking ball feels with Doraemon doesn’t end there. Not only is Naito’s love for comics becoming the worst kept secret ever, but after he won the Shooto Flyweight Championship in 2014, the fight organization featured him on promotional posters, and during interviews, with him fully dressed as Nobita — including the glasses, the black shorts and the yellow polo shirt with white trim. This persona was even on full display whenever his hand was raised in victory.

Although often called an Otaku, Naito proved he is comfortable is his own skin, and has publicly embraced this cool and clever identity: “Nowadays, less people hide that they are a nerd. In Japan, people around us are not as biased as before.

“It’s not a big deal. I mean, if you hide it, no one will really realize. It’s ok for me. I understand that I’m a minority, part of a niche. It’s like a complete opposite of a bad boy. I understand I’m not normal.”

Naito isn’t normal. He isn’t even ordinary. As an athlete, he is extraordinary. He has a spotless 11-0 record, forfeited the Shooto Flyweight Title, joined ONE Championship in search of new challenges, and stormed into Thailand this past May to submit an undefeated champ for the ONE Strawweight World Championship in front of all his countrymen.

Honestly, that sounds very much like the “bad boy” Naito claims he isn’t. What’s more, geek culture is fast becoming mainstream, especially with the rise of superhero blockbuster movies and hit TV series the likes of The Big Bang Theory, in addition to the rise of conventions such as Comic Con and AnimeJapan.

While there isn’t too much crossover between geek culture and MMA, the two worlds actually share a special type of uniqueness, intimacy, and most importantly, a passionate and dedicated fanbase who love their respective products.

“The similarity is that the viewers feel excitement. I feel the rush when I read comic books, so I want everyone to feel the same when they watch my fights,” Naito says. “That’s why I’m into both. You can’t predict what’s going to happen in the future. Every moment is a fork in the road. That’s what really fascinates me.”

On 7 October, everyone’s favorite Otaku will try to fascinate the ONE Championship crowd again, and maybe this time around, he’ll be dressed as Nobita if he gets his hand raised.

A look at an intriguing bantamweight matchup in Yangon by ONE Championship lead commentator and Fox Sports Presenter Steve Dawson.

The biggest surprise last time ONE Championship went to Myanmar was buried in contest number three of a 10-fight card.

22-year-old Australian Jordan Lucas was making his debut for ONE Championship off the back of an 8-0 record that had everything you wanted to see on it. With four submissions, two KOs, and two decisions, the young BRACE Bantamweight champion had only been outside the first round twice, and looked like the kind of bantamweight who, before long, might line up against ONE Championship Bantamweight World Champion Bibiano Fernandes.

Edward Kelly — who’d lost three of his previous four, albeit against top class opposition — didn’t look like he was much more than a tune up, but how wrong that assessment proved to be. The Filipino choked out Lucas in less than four minutes.

Kelly has gone on to demonstrate that this was far from a fluke, with a win over Vincent Latoel, but Lucas still has some stern tests ahead of him. Typical of ONE matchmaker Matt Hume, that won’t come easily – his comeback opponent at the Thuwunna Indoor Stadium in Yangon, Myanmar, on 7 October is the highly-skilled Yusup Saadulaev.

The Russian (14-4-1, 1NC) has a split-decision win over Interim ONE Flyweight World Champion Adriano Moraes, and is a popular fighter with the fans. There’s no doubt about what you get from the 31-year-old grappler: great conditioning, a constant threat, and the willingness to be hit for the chance to get within close quarters and work his submission magic.

Against Kelly, Lucas shot successfully for the takedown very early and made prolonged attempts to secure a rear naked choke, but Kelly’s submission defense was very effective. When Lucas secured Kelly’s back for a second time, he got schooled by a superb transition that saw them back to their feet.

When Lucas shot for the takedown again he was clearly not as fresh as he had been the first time. The technique became ragged, and Kelly’s own rear naked choke skills only needed one opportunity.

It’s hard to see how Lucas can overcome Saadulaev with a similar game plan, and I don’t expect him to. Bringing an unbeaten record to the ONE cage isn’t the same as having an unbeaten record in it. I see Saadulaev winning by submission, possibly inside the first round, but this is MMA, and anything could happen. 

Steve Dawson is ONE Championship’s lead commentator, a Fox Sports presenter and an author of sporting biographies. He can be found on Twitter & Instagram as @Gulasahi and on Facebook as Steve Dawson.

ONE Championship returns to Yangon, Myanmar, this Friday on 7 October for another blockbuster fight card at the Thuwunna Indoor Stadium.

As always, there will be winners and losers. Great things await those who are willing to risk all, so let’s take a look at what’s at stake for the fighters at ONE: STATE OF WARRIORS.

Jordan Lucas and Yusup Saadulaev

Former BRACE champion Jordan “Showtime” Lucas (8-1) may have not gotten what he wanted when he debuted for ONE Championship in March, but that’s not stopping him from getting right back in the cage in search of his first victory for the promotion.

Lucas is young and talented at 22 years of age, with an upside that looks bright despite a loss to Filipino featherweight stalwart Edward Kelly in his previous bout, which was also in Yangon.

He’ll be taking on Russian groundfighting “Maestro” Yusup Saadulaev (14-4-1, 1NC) in another stern test as a professional. It doesn’t look like Lucas is going to catch a break and get an easy fight, as Saadulaev is a tenacious cage veteran and would be out to test Lucas’ mettle.

This will be Lucas’ second try inside the ONE Championship cage, and if he can get past Saadulaev, he could start cashing in on his potential with more high-profile bouts.

Kevin Belingon and Muin Gafurov

Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon (13-5) is back, and ready to pick up where he left off before running into ONE Bantamweight World Champion Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandes this past January. The 28-year-old got his shot at ONE Championship gold, but was unable to showcase the world-famous wushu that he and his Team Lakay brethren are known for and was submitted in the first round.

That’s not a knock on Belingon, but a testament to just how great Fernandes is as a champion. Regardless, Belingon’s next assignment is by no means an easy one as he’ll be taking on Tajikistan prospect Muin Gafurov.

Gafurov is a tremendous grappler, and a former Combat Sambo World Champion with a 10-1 record. If Belingon is able to carry the improvements his team has made towards their ground game, then this is a potentially interesting matchup.

For one, not many fighters will be able to hang with Belingon in the stand-up, Gafurov included. So the Tajik will most likely aim to get this fight to the ground as soon as possible, where he has the advantage. That’s easier said than done. Many who have tried to drag Belingon to the mat have been meet with the dynamite in his fists.

If Belingon can beat Gafurov, himself a highly-touted prospect, it will put him right back in the mix at bantamweight.

Aung La N Sang and Michal Pasternak

You’ve got your world champions in different divisions, and there is no doubtt they command the attention of fans all across Asia. The golden hardware may shimmer with prestige and is the envy of everyone not in possession of it, but some fighters don’t need belts to rally a crowd.

“The Burmese Python” Aung La N Sang (18-9, 1NC) returns to Yangon for another time this year, and he is the undisputed king of the Thuwunna Indoor Stadium. The way the home crowd chants his name and the atmosphere it gives the arena is truly unique, and borderline legendary.

Aung La’s not taking on just anyone next in Yangon, though. Michal Pasternak (11-1) is a legitimate contender, and one of Poland’s most talented fighters. He’s also a man who managed to grind out a unanimous decision over a tough opponent in Rafael Silva despite injuring his knee and being barely able to stand.

Whoever prevails on the night could very likely set up an epic showdown for the ONE Middleweight World Championship, and the stakes could not be higher.

Joshua Pacio and Yoshitaka Naito

He’s Team Lakay’s youngest member, and he’s challenging for a world title just three fights into his young ONE Championship career. That’s no surprise, however, given his undefeated 8-0 record where he has finished all of his opponents to date.

Newly minted ONE Strawweight World Champion Yoshitaka Naito (11-0) did a number on former champion Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke earlier this year, meaning it is him facing Pacio this Friday in Yangon.

A former Shooto champion who vacated his belt to fight with ONE, Naito has established himself as the number one strawweight in the world according to several worldwide rankings, and it is now up to him to build his legacy. Given his stellar record, he is the overwhelming favorite to stand triumphant against Pacio.

However, although Pacio may be young and relatively inexperienced, he does have the beaming confidence of an undefeated 20-year-old — and that’s always a dangerous thing.

Win or lose, Pacio will gain experience, championship experience at that, and it will go a long way into turning him into a bonafide star. If he beats Naito, he will become one of the youngest to ever do it, similar to how Angela Lee captured the ONE Women’s Atomweight World Championship at just 19 years of age.

The Philippines has a gem in Pacio, and if he plays his cards right, he could end up the country’s newest world champion.

In the span of just over a month, two members of Baguio City’s famed Team Lakay MMA stable will step inside the ONE Championship cage to do battle for MMA world titles.

22-year-old Joshua Pacio will challenge ONE Strawweight World Champion Yoshitaka “Nobita” Naito on 7 October in Myanmar, while Eduard “Landslide” Folayang goes up against legendary ONE Lightweight World Champion Shinya “Tobikan Judan” Aoki on 11 November in Singapore.

The man in charge of preparing the two Filipino warriors is Team Lakay head coach Mark Sangiao, and he believes that although the two are coming into their respective bouts as prohibitive underdogs, that they could end up shocking the world.

“We all know Shinya [Aoki] from his previous fights and all of his experience inside the cage, that he’s a very talented grappler, and that he’s really, really good on the ground. There’s no question that he’s among the best, if not the best in the sport at what he does,” said Sangiao who was full of praise for the Japanese MMA veteran. “But this is MMA and not just grappling. It’s everything, all disciplines combined. Which is what makes the sport beautiful.” 

His ward, Folayang is 16-5-0 as a professional mixed martial artist with high-profile victories in his two most recent bouts. As it stands, however, although Folayang is a veteran of the local Asian MMA scene, he simply pales in comparison to Aoki’s 39-6-0 clip.

Out of 39 total victories for Aoki, a whopping 25 wins have come by submission, a number greater than Folayang’s entire MMA record, to put things into perspective. 

Indeed in MMA anything can happen and it has, at least to Aoki. Aoki has been defeated six times total in his career, including four instances where he was knocked out. To say that Folayang has a shot at beating Aoki at his own game is a stretch, even given his improved grappling of late, but in the stand-up it’s a whole different affair.

“Eduard [Folayang] just needs to prepare well for Shinya’s grappling element,” said Sangiao. “We’ve added a lot of different training drills to get him ready for what Shinya brings to the cage.”

As for the 20-year-old Joshua Paciao, Sangiao is a little more reserved with his confidence in one of his youngest pupils. Recognizing the Japanese Naito’s solid wrestling base, Sangiao mentioned that Pacio needs to utilize all of the tools available to him if he wishes to come away with a win.

Pacio (8-0-0), faces the undefeated champion Naito (11-0-0) in only his third fight with Asia’s largest MMA promotion. Sangiao believes it will be a tough challenge for the neophyte MMA fighter.

“I studied [Yoshitaka] Naito extensively and his style is very tight. It’s fluid and he doesn’t make a lot of mental errors, which is going to be tough to overcome,” said Sangiao. “Aside from that, he’s also built like a truck. The shots he took from DSA (former champion, Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke) were no joke and were absolutely very hard shots.”

Although the two have similar records, there is no doubt that Naito holds more experience, having competed in legendary Japanese promotion Shooto. To say that Pacio is coming into this bout as an underdog is an understatement, but Sangiao says they’ll take what they can get, and warned fans not to sleep on Pacio’s talents.

“This fight was given to Joshua regardless of his experience and we have to think positively on this opportunity. We just just need to dedicate ourselves to training and we’ll be fine,” said Sangiao. “Everyone loves a good underdog story. Joshua will write them a good one. This is MMA, anything can happen inside that cage. We just have to prepare to bring it to the champion and hopefully come away with the win.”