Second-ranked flyweight MMA contender Danny “The King” Kingad isn’t worried about competing in enemy territory when he battles no. 4-ranked Yuya “Little Piranha” Wakamatsu in less than a month. 

It will be a clash between two top flyweights when they meet at ONE 165 inside Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan, on Jan. 28. 

Having competed in the Mall of Asia Arena plenty of times, Kingad knows the superficial advantage of fighting in front of a passionate home crowd. 

While he acknowledges that Wakamatsu will have that going for him, he believes the Japanese man won’t have much else. 

“He’ll have the crowd behind him, but that’s all the advantage that he’ll get in this match,” he said. 

“The moment we step in the ring and we square up with our skills and strength, I believe I have every advantage.”

A win here for the Lions Nation MMA standout will be critical for his career, especially since he’s looking for another shot at the ONE Flyweight MMA World Title currently held by Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson. 

Kingad has been in the flyweight rankings ever since the division was established, but he’s only challenged for the World Title once – back in 2017 when he came in as an unbeaten and promising young fighter to challenge Adriano Moraes. 

Kingad lost that fight, but he has remained at the top of the heap. So, he knows that another victory here could finally push him over the hump. 

“For sure if I beat Yuya right now, I think I deserve a shot at DJ,” he said. 

“It still depends on ONE, but a win here and I believe I deserve a shot against the champion or the #1 contender. But the goal, of course, is still to get another shot at the GOAT.”