Lito “Thunder Kid” Adiwang believes that 2024 will be the year that Filipino MMA stars reclaim their status as some of the best fighters on the planet, and it starts with one of his own friends. 

Second-ranked flyweight contender Danny “The King” Kingad looks to solidify his case as the next World Title challenger when he battles no. 4-ranked Yuya “Little Piranha” Wakamatsu at ONE 165 in Tokyo, Japan, on Jan. 28. 

It’s a rematch of their clash from five years ago, where Kingad grinded out a tough decision victory over Wakamatsu. Adiwang, for his part, doesn’t see the result changing this time around. 

“Danny repeats over Yuya Wakamatsu in the rematch. His passion is unrivaled,” he said. 

One thing that will play into Kingad’s favor is his hunger. After all, “The King” hasn’t competed since last February. 

Kingad dominated Eko Roni Saputra, stopping the Evolve MMA star’s seven-fight winning streak in the process. He looked primed to cement his status as the next challenger to ONE Flyweight MMA World Champion Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson when he was given a fight against Hu Yong. 

However, Kingad injured his ankle, forcing him out of the match and sidelining him for the rest of 2023, during which time he began training at Lions Nation MMA with his former stablemates from Team Lakay. 

That said, Adiwang believes joining the new team will favor Kingad. 

 “He’s very hungry now to get back to the Circle, and I’ve seen how hard he’s been working even without a fight,” he said. 

“He hasn’t competed for nearly a year now, and he’s certainly hungry to prove that he’s still one of the best flyweights out there.” 

This time, Adiwang doesn’t only expect a win for Kingad – he expects a complete domination.

“He has the confidence knowing that he’s already beaten him before,” Adiwang said. “I see him finishing Yuya.”