ONE flyweight Grand Prix finalist Danny Kingad is back in action in the stacked ONE: Collision in Singapore on Dec. 4.
The 25-year-old Kingad, who was hoping to have a rematch with reigning ONE flyweight world champion Adriano Moraes, will have to face former champion Kairat Akhmetov of Kazakhstan in one of the main cards of the night.
It will be another tough test for the Team Lakay fighter, who has fought some of the elite flyweight fighters in the world, including Demetrius Johnson, the erstwhile pound-for-pound king.
Aside from being older at 33 years old, Akhmetov will enter the circle with a fight experience advantage having 25 professional MMA fights since he turned pro fighter in 2010.
At present, Akhmetov has 23 wins and two losses.
Kingad, who turned pro in 2014, will bank on his world championship fight experience when he faces Akhmetov in what is expected to be an exciting match, as both fighters are known for their stand-up fight and ground games.
Kingad and Akhmetov have fought similar opponents in the past, such as former contenders Recee McLaren, Senzo Ikeda, Yuya Wakamatsu, and Haobin Ma.
Akhmetovhad likewise fought former ONE flyweight world champion Geje Eustaquio where they had an even 1-1 record.
Earlier, Team Lakay chair Mark Sangiao claimed that Kingad has earned the rights to fight Moraes.
“Danny has improved so much in just the span of three years. He’s worked so hard in every facet of his game. There’s no stopping this young man from achieving his goals,” Sangiao said.
Also to see action in Singapore on Dec. 4 is up and coming Filipino star Jomar Torres, who is set to lock horns with streaking Indian wrestling champion RituPhogat.
Torres, a Southeast Asian Games sambo medalist, is up to face a talented grappler, and is currently training with head coach and former ONE world title contender Rene Catalan at their gym in Manila to prepare for the specific challenges Torres will face against Phogat. – Harley F. Palangchao
