MACAU—Team Lakay’s Danny Kingad tallied two straight wins after scoring a unanimous decision victory over China’s Ma Hao Bin in their flyweight division tussle in ONE: Pinnacle of Power Saturday at Studio City here in Macau.
Kingad was the first of four Filipino fighters, and the first of three Team Lakay members, to fight in the card and he immediately became the benchmark in terms of electrifying the crowd.
In a match that saw fast-paced striking—which unfortunately resulted in two accidental low blows by Kingad in the second round—and slippery grappling, both fighters immediately became crowd darlings.
Kingad (7-1) had control for much of the third round that started off from his takedown of Ma (10-3) midway through the period, which he then transitioned into an ankle lock.
The 22-year-old Team Lakay member was the first to initiate action in the first sending kicks along Ma’s face and ribs.
Kingad, also, methodically took the fight out of Ma with repeated leg kicks throughout the fight.
Ma was able to attempt a takedown late in the second round but Kingad met him with a flurry of punches resulting in a cut above the Chinese’s left eye.
In the following match, China’s Li Kai Wen knocked the Philippines’ Rodian Menchavez in 10 seconds into their featherweight fight.
Li (8-4) sneaked in a right overhand to the chin that resulted in Menchavez (4-2) falling to the mat stiff as a board.
His win against Menchavez marked Li’s second straight victory, both against Filipinos, and he now wants to challenge Martin Nguyen for the featherweight belt.
“I’m a good fighter, I’m a good challenger, I want Martin, give me this fight please,” exclaimed Li after the fight.