Former Foe Of ONE On Prime Video 1 Headliners Shares Own Take On Title Rematch

ONE Championship is set to hold the highly-anticipated flyweight title rematch between reigning champion Adriano Moraes and mixed martial arts (MMA) icon Demetrious Johnson at the end of August, and fans are already making their picks as early as now.

No. 4-ranked flyweight and Team Lakay stalwart Danny Kingad will be keeping a close eye on the match much like other observers, but he is declining to choose a side.

Kingad was quick to point out in a recent interview that both fighters have been ramping up their respective training camps in preparation for this bout, with Johnson working with former two-division UFC champion Henry Cejudo.

"I think [Henry] Cejudo's been helping DJ (Demetrious Johnson) in his training. I really don't know what will happen in this match, but I'm sure that this will be a great fight. There will surely be differences from their last match," said Kingad.

Johnson will surely be looking to bounce back big after Moraes handed him his first-ever knockout loss when the former met the latter in April 2021.

Moraes was able to land a massive knee that immediately shut off Johnson's lights despite the 2019 ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix winner staying in step with the champion for most of the fight.

Winning the ONE flyweight title will be another feather in Johnson's cap as he looks to keep growing his legacy despite nearing the twilight of his career.

As for Moraes, he will be determined to keep the title at all costs and earn his third flyweight championship defense in his third reign as the division kingpin.

"Adriano is now much better on his feet, he's more comfortable on his striking compared to before. He usually favored his grappling in his previous fights, but he's now moving better on stand-up scenarios," Kingad noted of how Moraes will approach the rematch.

"Mikinho" took the title from Kingad's fellow Team Lakay campmate Geje Eustaquio in their trilogy fight in January 2019 and since defended it successfully against Johnson and Japan's Yuya Wakamatsu at ONE X.

If the Brazilian's stand-up game continues to improve at age 33, "The Mighty Mouse" will surely have another headache to deal with.

Moraes' best weapon is his grappling game, but his constant improvement is the only way to progress in MMA and his showing against Wakamatsu was evident of him adding a more versatile striking arsenal.

Kingad has fought both fighters in the past (Johnson in 2019, Moraes in 2017) and knows first-hand how far they have come since he shared the cage with them.

The rematch will be the headlining fight of ONE on Prime Video 1 on August 26 at 9:00 PM ET with Nong-O Gaiyanghadao's bantamweight Muay Thai title defense against Liam Harrison serving as the co-main event.