With Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson having announced his retirement and vacating the ONE Flyweight MMA World Title, focus now shifts to the rest of the division, starting with the clash between two top contenders in a few months.  

Third-ranked Danny “The King” Kingad takes on former ONE Flyweight MMA World Champion Adriano “Mikinho” Moraes in a rematch at ONE 169: Atlanta inside State Farm Arena in Georgia on Nov. 9, and Johnson himself believes this fight could potentially fill the gap that he’ll be leaving in the wake of his retirement.  

“I’m happy that now the flyweight division can move on. Chatri [Sityodtong], the matchmakers, can start putting together a flyweight championship,” he said hours after his retirement at the ONE 168: Denver post-fight press conference this past Saturday.  

“Adriano and Danny Kingad are fighting next. So they can move on.”  

But Kingad isn’t thinking about gold right now.  

All the 28-year-old wants is to get back at Moraes, the man who derailed his World Title hopes in 2017.  

And if beating Moraes leads to him winning the ONE Flyweight MMA World Title for the first time, or at least a shot at it, he’ll be satisfied.  

"Right now, my focus is on Adriano. If I get the chance to compete for the title, I’ll be ready and willing. Why not? But for now, there’s no belt on the line, and that’s fine,” Kingad said.   

“I still have a score to settle with Adriano. And if I win this, it’ll make my case for a title shot undeniable.”   

Shifting to Johnson’s retirement, the Lions Nation MMA member is grateful to have tested his skills against the man considered one of the greatest MMA fighters to ever do it.  

The two faced off in the final of the ONE Flyweight MMA World Grand Prix, where Johnson scored a unanimous decision win over the Filipino to give the American legend his first belt in ONE Championship.  

"We may have faced off before, but that doesn’t change the fact that I admire him as an athlete. He’s one of the greatest to ever do it, and I’m grateful that, at some point in my career, I had the chance to share the stage with the best,” Kingad said.

“That’s what being a martial artist is all about. If you want to be great, you have to be willing to take on all comers."