“I’ve set my mind to it” - Danny Kingad says recovery will no longer be an issue in high-stakes rematch vs Adriano Moraes
Danny Kingad won't make the same mistake he made before his last appearance inside the Circle.
On Friday, November 8, 'The King' will return to martial arts' biggest global stage for a high-stakes scrap with former eight-time ONE flyweight MMA world champion Adriano Moraes. The two warriors will meet as part of a stacked ONE 169 card emanating from the legendary Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
In an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda MMA, Kingad acknowledged that his recovery ahead of January's showdown with Yuya Wakamatsu contributed to his lackluster showing against the Japanese contender.
It's a mistake he will not make a second time—especially against an opponent as dangerous as Adriano Moraes.
"I’m very much focused on my recovery now, and I’ve set my mind to it. I think it will not happen again."
Kingad goes into the bout as the third-ranked contender in the flyweight division. With former ONE world titleholder Demetrious Johnson recently vacating the belt at ONE 168: Denver, 'The King' could establish himself as the next man in line with a big win over 'Mikinho'.
Adriano Moraes looking for another title run and it starts with a win over Danny Kingad
For Adriano Moraes, ONE 169 will be his first time competing since closing out his trilogy with Demetrious Johnson at ONE Fight Night 10 in May 2023.
On that night, Moraes came up short, suffering a unanimous decision loss against the P4P great, but he's ready to take another big step towards claiming the flyweight MMA crown for the ninth time by defeating Kingad—something he's already done once before.
Moraes and Kingad previously met in November 2017 at ONE: Legends of the World. There, 'Mikinho' brought an end to Kingad's night early via a first-round submission. If he can deliver a repeat performance, the top-ranked flyweight contender should put himself into pole position for a shot at the division's top prize.
Fans in the United States and Canada can watch ONE 169: Malykhin vs. ‘Reug Reug’ live on Amazon Prime Video on Friday, November 8 in U.S. primetime.