The 30-year-old Filipino will take on Hu Yong in a flyweight MMA bout A Fighting Night 40 on Friday, February 13 at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
Kingad dropped back-to-back fights for the first time in his professional career. Yuya Wakamatsu won their rematch at ONE 165 via unanimous decision. Then Adriano Moraes submitted him to ONE 169. The losses hurt more than the physical damage.
Injuries and the birth of his second child kept him sidelined for the entire year of 2025. The time he was away provided healing, peace and perspective. Now Kingad returns with an intensified hunger that time brings to fighters who still want it so badly.
His resume speaks volumes. Eleven wins against the division’s top names since joining ONE Championship in 2016. He defeated current champion Yuya Wakamatsu in 2018, proving he was among the flyweight elite before the Japanese star struck gold.
“Believe it or not, I really missed getting punched in the face,” he said. “I miss the adrenaline, getting a black eye in a wild fight. I just want that euphoric feeling again. It’s those little things. I just feel excitement. My last two fights didn’t go to plan, so I’m hungry to redeem myself. I’m pushing myself in training because I really want to win this fight. Winning is the most important thing for me right now.”
Danny Kingad plans to exploit Hu Yong’s weaknesses in the ground game
Danny Kingad respects Hu Yong’s finishing power. The Chinese knockout artist dropped Geje Eustaquio and Eko Roni Saputra with devastating strikes that ended the fights immediately.
But strength means nothing when you’re under elite ground pressure. Kingad looked at Hu’s decision losses and identified a pattern. Opponents who controlled him on the canvas and applied suffocating top pressure were successful.
The Filipino’s wushu background provides striking precision and fluidity. His evolving ground game creates options to change levels when openings appear. Kingad won’t stand his ground and trade power shots with a trigger-happy striker when better paths exist.
This matchup also brings unfinished business. The pair were originally scheduled to fight at ONE Fight Night 15 in 2023. A foot injury forced Kingad to withdraw. He always knew they would meet eventually.
Kingad now competes as a father of two. The motivation to perform and deliver carries extra weight. The victory on February 13 opens the door for a $50,000 performance bonus in his comeback fight.
“He’s a proven finisher. He’s knocked out a lot of big names over the years,” he said. “But that’s the beauty of MMA. We’re not limited to one discipline. I know how good he is with his stand-up, so why not test his ground game? His decision losses were mainly due to his opponents controlling him with top ground pressure. I think I can beat him in that area too and impose my will. My conditioning is also an advantage.”
“I’m relieved and excited that the match is finally going ahead. I got injured last time, so this is a chance for me to show all the improvements I’ve made. I’ll give it my all.”
#Danny #Kingad #Yong #springboard #World #title #important