Danny Kingad Aiming For Bounce-Back Win At ONE Fight Night 7

After a year on the sidelines honing his craft, #3-ranked flyweight contender Danny Kingad looks to kick off his 2023 by stopping the momentum of a surging star.

"The King" will lock horns with submission specialist Eko Roni Saputra in an MMA bout at ONE Fight Night 7: Lineker vs. Andrade II this Friday, 24 February, at the illustrious Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

The fight comes after a mixed bag of results for Kingad, as he suffered a rare fall in his last outing in December 2021 at ONE: WINTER WARRIORS.

The Team Lakay legend came up short against former ONE Flyweight World Champion Kairat Akhmetov via unanimous decision that night, and he has since taken time to develop his skills before returning to the ever-evolving division.

As he returns to the ring in Bangkok, Kingad plans to remind the division why he is a top-five flyweight contender.

The man standing opposite him this Saturday is in blistering form, but "The King" believes Saputra's seven-fight winning streak is there for the taking.

"I'm coming off a loss, so I have to get back on the winning track. Eko Roni Saputra has been impressive. He's on a seven-fight winning streak," Kingad said.

"What I see from him, though, is that he always favors his ground game and wrestling. That's where he's best. And that's what I've observed from his previous fights. I've watched every fight of his, and it's the ground game that I have to worry about. Sure, he has a knockout win, but his opponent wasn't a good striker.

"I'll meet him in the middle of the Circle. I'll try his wrestling. And if he can't impose his will on me, then I'll be the one taking the fight to him and trying to take him down. If he can't take me down, then it will be me doing the takedowns."

While last year may have been an inactive period for the 14-3 Filipino, Kingad has big plans for 2023.

Should he dispatch his Indonesian nemesis, the Filipino wants a spot on ONE's historic Fight Night 10 card in Broomfield, Colorado - coincidentally the same night that divisional champ Demetrious Johnson and top-ranked Adriano Moraes will settle their score.

"I'm hoping I get to join that card. I think if I can finish this fight against Saputra early, I can join that card," Kingad said.

"My goal for 2023 is to get a good winning streak going. I want to start a winning streak and then become a World Champion before the year ends. That's my goal."

Source: Media Release