Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
Danny Kingad came into ONE Championship’s Legends of the World card ready to take his shot at destiny.
With a five-fight winning streak under his belt, Kingad beamed with confidence and stared at ONE flyweight champion Adriano Moraes with the intent of taking the belt for himself.
The fight lasted 4:45— with Kingad tapping out to Moraes’ rear naked choke.
READ: Kingad fails to take ONE flyweight title as Moraes retains belt
Humbled and beaten, Kingad knew it still wasn’t his chance to become the top flyweight in the promotion.
“All I can say is it isn’t my time yet to be a champion,” said Kingad (5-1) in Filipino Friday at Mall of Asia Arena.
With thousands of home fans screaming his name, Kingad tried to assert his offense on the Brazilian but it was Moraes who immediately got the upper hand in the opening minute of the first round sending the Team Lakay member to the mat.
Moraes (17-2), who was making his first defense of the ONE undisputed flyweight belt, then methodically tired out Kingad on the ground before transitioning to the rear naked choke 15 seconds left in the fight.
READ: Danny Kingad: student by day, fighter by night
Kingad, though, didn’t leave himself down for too long as he knows he got the valuable experience of fighting in a title fight that would help him in the long run.
“I will go back again and train,” said Kingad. “We will have future chances and we will get that belt for the country.”