Team Lakay’s Danny Kingad is oozing with confidence ahead of his return to action against Indonesian rising mixed martial arts star Eko Roni Saputra on Feb. 25 in Bangkok, Thailand.
Kingad will look to derail the red-hot Indonesian fighter, as they tangle in a crucial flyweight MMA bout and he will be extra-motivated to do so, especially after his December return was postponed.
The third-ranked contender was initially scheduled for a Manila comeback against Gurdashan Mangat at ONE 164, but the Indian-Canadian had to pull out, forcing him to further wait for his return to the ONE Championship circle.
“My training pretty much continued even after Mangat dropped out. I never stopped and I stayed in shape, so training and preparation is not an issue for me,” Kingad said.
He said he would not face a pushover against the Indonesian wrestling machine, but he believed that aside from his opponent’s wrestling, nothing will really threaten him.
“Eko Roni Saputra has been impressive. He is on a seven-fight winning streak. What I see from him, though, is that he always favors his ground game and wrestling. That’s where he’s at his best, and that’s what I’ve observed from his previous fights,” he said.
The Igorot warrior knew that the match will be crucial for his goals moving forward, especially since he’s eyeing to be back on top by the end of the year.
Reeling off a shutout decision loss to Kairat Akhmetov, the 27-year-old Kingad knows that if he wants to get a shot at the ONE Flyweight World Title, it all starts by beating Saputra.
“My goal for 2023 is to get a good winning streak going. I’m coming off a loss, so I have to get back on the winning track, start a winning streak, and then become a World Champion before the year ends. That’s my goal this 2023,” Kingad said. – ONE release
