Adriano Moraes showcased superior grappling and control, defeating Danny Kingad by unanimous decision at ONE 169.

 

A highly anticipated flyweight MMA clash took place at ONE 169 on Friday night, as former ONE Flyweight World Champion Adriano Moraes faced Filipino standout Danny Kingad for the second time. The fight, held at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, was set to determine the next challenger for the vacant ONE Flyweight MMA World Title, a belt recently relinquished by the legendary Demetrious Johnson. The fighters thrilled fans with a back-and-forth contest, but Moraes would ultimately reaffirm his dominance in the division.

ROUND 1:
The action began with Moraes showcasing his grappling prowess, quickly taking Kingad to the canvas. On the ground, Moraes looked to control the Filipino fighter, but Kingad demonstrated excellent defense, managing to scramble back to his feet. Once upright, Kingad turned the tables, taking Moraes down with a smooth reversal and gaining top control. Moraes was not out of options, however, and attempted a tricky submission, which Kingad swiftly countered with powerful left-hand strikes. Kingad’s thunderous punches rocked Moraes, but the Brazilian fighter remained composed and looked for openings. Both men battled for position on the ground, and by the end of the round, Moraes reversed the position to take top control once more, ending the round on top.

ROUND 2:
Kingad came out aggressively in the second frame, using a flurry of punches and kicks to keep Moraes on the backfoot. Pressuring his opponent, Kingad pushed Moraes against the ropes. Moraes tried to initiate a clinch to slow the momentum but was met with a beautiful knee from Kingad that landed cleanly. Moraes, showing his resilience, answered back with a solid overhand right that stunned Kingad and shifted the momentum in his favor.

Midway through the round, an accidental low blow from Moraes halted the action, giving both fighters a brief chance to recover. Once the fight resumed, Moraes quickly capitalized on the reset, executing a perfect takedown to bring Kingad back to the canvas. On the ground, Moraes showcased his control and ground-and-pound, transitioning between positions with ease. Kingad attempted a kimura sweep in a bid to reverse the situation, but Moraes was quick to take advantage of the exposed position. He locked in a guillotine choke, tightening his grip on Kingad’s neck. Despite his efforts to escape, Kingad was forced to tap out at 4:25 of the second round.

With the submission victory, Moraes claimed his 15th career win in ONE Championship and reaffirmed his position as the top flyweight contender. His impressive second-round submission finish over Kingad solidified his dominance in the flyweight division, setting him up for a potential title shot for the vacant flyweight belt.