Danny Kingad is on a mission for redemption, and his journey will bring him face-to-face with a familiar foe.
“The King” looks to square off against former ONE Flyweight MMA World Champion Adriano Moraes in a three-round rematch at ONE 169.
The event takes place at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia on November 8.
Both men first clashed in November 2017, with the divisional crown on the line. There, Moraes dominated Kingad, overwhelming him on the ground before orchestrating a submission finish with just 15 seconds left in the first round.
Since that fateful night, the two talents have taken different paths with contrasting fortunes.
Over the next 11 bouts, Kingad (15-4) compiled an impressive 8-3 campaign, securing his place as a permanent fixture in the Top Five rankings of the weight class.
During this stretch, he has fought the best the 135-pound bracket has to offer – including Demetrious Johnson, Kairat Akhmetov, Reece McLaren, and Yuya Wakamatsu.
However, when he ran it back with Wakamatsu this past January, he conceded his No. 2 spot to his Japanese rival, succumbing to a unanimous decision loss.
Now, the 28-year-old will be given a chance to pull ahead of Wakamatsu and put himself in pole position to vie for the ONE Flyweight MMA World Title, currently held by Johnson.
Similarly, Moraes (20-5) is also eyeing a return to championship glory.
For the last three years, “Mikinho” was embroiled in an intense rivalry with Johnson, where he won the initial encounter in stunning fashion to keep his seat atop the division.
Unfortunately for Moraes, the second duel in August 2022 didn’t tell the same story as he relinquished his throne to “Mighty Mouse.”
A rubber match happened in May 2023, with Moraes falling short to the American MMA icon again by a clear-cut unanimous decision.
As Moraes looks to rebuild his path to 26 pounds of gold, Kingad stands in his way, poised to shake things up and stake his claim as the next challenger for Johnson’s coveted belt.
