For the longest time, Danny “The King” Kingad has always wanted to have a showdown with former ONE Flyweight World Champion Kairat “The Kazakh” Akhmetov.
After defeating Senzo Ikeda in the ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix quarter-finals at ONE: A NEW ERA last month, the 23-year-old will finally get his wish, as he is scheduled to face Akhmetov in the semi-final round.
“I’ve wanted to face Kairat Akhmetov for the longest time. I’ve been calling for a fight against him for the past two years,” Kingad explained.
“Now that the fight is here, it’s time to perform. I just think my style and his style match up great. He’s an awesome wrestler, and I really want to test my wrestling against him. I want to go to the ground and see who is stronger."
After losing to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and reigning ONE Flyweight World Champion Adriano “Mikinho” Moraes at ONE: LEGENDS OF THE WORLD back in November 2017, Kingad hasn’t been seriously tested again on the ground.
With another top-notch grappling specialist blocking his way to the top, “The King” believes the nightmares of his first career blemish are already in the past.
“I am not intimidated by him at all. I am excited to face him. It’s going to be a good match,” the Team Lakay standout said.
“We’re both well-rounded athletes. We can go strike-for-strike, and we can also hit the mat and grapple. I think anywhere this fight goes, the fans will be happy.”
Although Kingad’s confidence is sky-high right now, he promises that he is still very grounded.
The Filipino star guarantees he will go all-out in preparing for Akhmetov, who also punched his ticket into the semi-finals by defeating Reece “Lightning” McLaren at ONE: A NEW ERA.
“My next opponent is a former World Champion and is a great challenge, but me and my team will make sure we are prepared for anything,” Kingad said.
“You can be sure I’m preparing for him very well. There’s no date for the fight yet, but I expect it to be soon, so I have to stay ready.”
