DANNY “The King” Kingad admitted to being blinded by the bright lights the first time he took a shot at flyweight great Adriano Moraes in 2017, which resulted in him being submitted inside one round.
Now, he promises to stay focused and get one back over his old tormentor when they clash once more at the stacked ONE 169: Malykhin vs. Reug Reug event on November 9 inside Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
Admittedly being raw in his last fight with Moraes, Kingad believes he’s gotten so much better since then and promises to be ready for the Brazilian this time around.
“I’m highly motivated for this fight. I’ve learned and experienced a lot through the years. I know what I’m doing now,” he said.
“This time, when we’re in the Circle I know that I can beat him unlike before wherein I got shocked because it was just my third fight. I believe and I already got a championship bout against him. Right now, I’m truly focused. I’m ready for him.”
While they competed for all the marbles the last time they met, this fight will be just as important as the vacated ONE Flyweight MMA World Title is there for the taking.
With that in mind, Kingad doesn’t plan on losing the next shot.
“It’s an exciting time in the flyweight division. It’s wide open,” he said.
“I feel blessed that I’m still close to getting there, and it gives me the motivation to beat Adriano and maybe get the chance to compete for the vacant World Title.”
Kingad joins a stacked card where Filipino-American star Jackie Buntan faces French-Algerian legend Anissa Meksen for the inaugural ONE Women’s Strawweight Kickboxing World Title.
In the main event, three-division MMA World Champion Anatoly Malkykhin defends his ONE Heavyweight MMA World Title against “Reug Reug” Oumar Kane.
Completing the trifecta of championship bouts is the clash between Thai megastar Rodtang Jitmuangnon and third-ranked contender Jacob Smith for the former’s ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Title in the co-main event.
ONE Friday Fights 86 Features Three Pinoy Rising Stars
The night before ONE 169, three Filipino rising stars led by Muay Thai sensation Islay Erika Bomogao are set to take centerstage in ONE Friday Fights 86 set on November 8.
Bomogao, a former SEA Games gold medalist, takes on Fuu in a 100-pound catchweight Muay Thai bout in what's easily the most anticipated ONE Friday Fights debut for a Filipino athlete.
She'll be joined by Team Lakay's Carlos Alvarez who eyes his fourth win in the circuit when he takes on Mirza Aliev in a featherweight MMA bout, while T-Rex MMA's Fritz Biagtan rounds up the local stars in the event when he battles Sayedali Asli in a flyweight bout.
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