“They’ll be really shocked when I return” - Danny Kingad eager to show a different self in his rematch against Adriano Moraes
Filipino flyweight MMA contender Danny Kingad is excited to be plunging back into action in November in the United States, promising to showcase a better version of himself as a fighter.
'The King,' now fighting under Lions Nation MMA, is set to battle former ONE flyweight king Adriano Moraes at ONE 169 in Atlanta, Georgia, on Nov. 8. It is a rematch of their first encounter in 2017, where 'Mikinho' successfully defended his then world title by submission in the opening round.
In an interview with The MMA Superfan, Danny Kingad, 28, spoke about his scheduled return to action, underscoring the need to be at his best to notch a much-needed victory not only for himself but for his new team.
He said:
"I wouldn't trade this situation for anything. The team is in my heart now. They've been so helpful and I have to give back by winning this match. This team needs it and I need it more. They'll be really shocked when I return."
Watch the interview below:
At ONE 169, Danny Kingad, who used to be part of Team Lakay, is seeking a bounce-back win after dropping his last match back in January to Japanese Yuya Wakamatsu.
Meanwhile, Moraes, 36, will be back in action after 18 months from his last fight against now-retired MMA legend and former ONE flyweight MMA king Demetrious Johnson.
ONE 169 will take place at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta and broadcast over Amazon Prime Video. Tickets for the event are available for purchase via Ticketmaster.
Stephen Loman attests to teammate Danny Kingad's hard work heading into ONE 169
Danny Kingad's teammate at Lions Nation MMA, Stephen Loman, attested to the hard work he has been putting in for his scheduled rematch against Adriano Moraes at ONE 169: Atlanta on Nov. 8. In particular, 'The King' has been focusing on his ground game to better compete with that of the Brazilian star.
'The Sniper' shared this in an interview with Sportskeeda MMA, relaying that to help Kingad, they are doing their share in assisting him at their camp.
Loman said:
"Right now, he's checking with his grappling because Adriano Moraes has a great BJJ game, so Danny's really working on his ground game, especially his back take. We're always drilling his back."
Danny Kingad is currently the No. 3 contender in the ONE flyweight MMA division, behind Moraes and Japan's Yuya Wakamatsu. The world title in the weight class was recently vacated by former champion Demetrious Johnson, who decided to retire from MMA.