ONE Championship‘s reigning flyweight champion Adriano “Black Diamond” Moraes, 28, of Brazil is ready to defend his title from Danny “The King” Kingad, 22, of the Philippines. Training at Team Lakay in La Trinidad, Benguet, Philippines, the Filipino mixed martial artist is currently undefeated.
On November 10, 2017, Kingad will try to dethrone Moraes at “ONE: Legends of the World” at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines. Their match is the co-main event while the lightweight world championship bout between Eduard Folayang and Martin Nguyen as the main event.
If both Kingad and Folayang are triumphant at “ONE: Legends of the World,” it will become the first time for Team Lakay to have two world champions at the same time. It will be the first time to have two Team Lakay fighters winning title matches at the same event, as well.
On November 7, 2017, I had a short interview with Moraes during the press conference for “ONE: Legends of the World” at City of Dreams Manila in Parañaque, Metro Manila. I asked the Brazilian MMA champ about how much he knew about Kingad as a fighter.
Moraes said he knew Kingad as a good fighter from Baguio City, Philippines. For the Brazilian fighter, his opponent gained the opportunity to fight for the belt, which he deserved it, and he is ready.
While Moraes did study Kingad’s fight videos, the reigning ONE flyweight world champion wanted to study more about himself. This is the Brazilian fighter’s first time to be in the Philippines and he is excited about being in the home country of his opponent.
But this is not the first time Moraes is facing a Team Lakay fighter. On September 12, 2014, he defeated Geje Eustaquio at “ONE FC 20: Rise of the Kingdom” in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
To young people who want to become an MMA fighter, Moraes’s advice is to enter into a good gym and have good friends. He added the importance of practicing Brazilian jujitsu.
CONAN Daily 