After 22 professional MMA fights, the 23-year-old Brazilian-Japanese fighter has decided to move up from featherweight to lightweight, and his first test at 155 pounds will be Ryan Couture on Oct. 21 in Memphis.
Coming off a decision loss to featherweight prospect Bubba Jenkins in March, Yamauchi says his seven-fight run as a 145-pounder taught him a lot.
"The biggest learning is that I was in the wrong division. That’s it," Yamauchi told MMA Fighting. "I also spent too much energy in the wrong positions, I wasn’t patient. I believe I have learned the lessons I needed to become a great champion.