Adriano Moraes embarks on a journey of redemption that will bring him face-to-face with a familiar adversary.
The former ONE Flyweight MMA World Champion is scheduled to take on #3-ranked contender Danny Kingad in a three-round duel at ONE 169: Atlanta. This takes place at the State Farm Arena on November 8.
This showdown marks the second time these two elite fighters will share the Circle. Their initial encounter in November 2017 ended in a bitter defeat for Kingad.
In that bout, Moraes — then the reigning titleholder — showcased his grappling prowess by pacifying Kingad on the ground before securing a submission victory with just 15 seconds remaining in the first round.
Since that fateful night, both men have charted different paths in their careers, with contrasting fortunes.
Over the past three years, the Brazilian has been embroiled in a heated rivalry with Demetrious Johnson, with the two trading victories in their initial matchups.
“Mikinho” stunned the world in their first meeting by delivering a sensational knockout to retain the title.
But the second date in August 2022 resulted in disappointment for Moraes as he relinquished his throne to “Mighty Mouse.”
The third and final chapter of their feud happened in May 2023, with Johnson emerging victorious after five grueling rounds.
Now, Moraes seeks to rebuild his case for another crack at the hardware that was in his possession for a long time.
Danny Kingad seeks pole position against Adriano Moraes in title race
Adriano Moraes is not the only one with 26 pounds of gold on his mind. Danny Kingad, too, is eyeing another shot at the bracket’s top prize.
Since his defeat to Moraes, Kingad has gone on to become a mainstay in the top-five rankings, amassing an impressive 8-3 record in his next 11 outings.
During this period, he has faced some of the best the weight class has to offer, including Demetrious Johnson, Kairat Akhmetov, Reece McLaren, and Yuya Wakamatsu.
However, the Lions Nation MMA member hit a speed bump earlier this year when he suffered a unanimous decision loss to Wakamatsu in a rematch. This resulted in the Filipino losing his #2 spot in the rankings to his Japanese rival.
The setback has only fueled Kingad’s determination to put himself in a prime position to challenge for the ONE Flyweight MMA World Title.
Kingad could give himself a leg up in his bid by defeating Moraes at ONE 169: Atlanta.
