To become the ONE Championship‘s flyweight world champion- that is the goal of undefeated mixed martial artist Danny Kingad, 22, of Team Lakay at “ONE: Legends of the World” on November 10, 2017 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City. For him to achieve this goal, he has to dethrone Adriano Moraes, 28, of Brazil, the reigning champion in the division.
The main event of “ONE: Legends of the World” will be the superfight between ONE’s respective lightweight and featherweight world champions Eduard Folayang, 33, and Martin Nguyen, 28. The match between Kingad and Moraes will be the co-main event.
During the press conference for “ONE: Legends of the World” at City of Dreams Manila in Parañaque, Metro Manila, on November 7, 2017, I asked Kingad about his next opponent. He admitted that he felt nervous when the news about fighting a champion came to him but he cannot be fazed even after studying Moraes.
“I trained hard for this,” Kingad said. The undefeated Team Lakay fighter felt grateful that he was given the opportunity to fight the reigning ONE flyweight world champion.
I asked Kingad if he considers Moraes different from his previous opponents. Kingad said his Brazilian opponent is different because he is a champion.
Moreover, Kingad admires Moraes for being able to bounce back after once losing his belt. Moraes became the ONE flyweight world champion after defeating Geje Eustaquio, Folayang and Kingad’s fellow Team Lakay fighter, on September 12, 2014 at “ONE FC: Rise of the Kingdom.”
On November 21, 2015, Moraes lost the belt to Kairat Akhmetov, 30, at “ONE Championship: Dynasty of Champions.” On August 13, 2016, Moraes regained the belt after beating Tilek Batyrov for the interm title bout and on August 5, 2017, the Brazilian fighter successfully defended the title from Akhtemov at “ONE Championship: Kings and Conquerors.”
If both Folayang and Kingad turn out victorious at “ONE: Legends of the World,” it will be the first time that their team has two ONE Champions reigning at the same time. Watch my interview with Kingad here:
CONAN Daily 