MANILA -- It took him longer than expected, but for Danny "The King" Kingad, joining Lions Nation MMA was always a "no-brainer."

Kingad, the No. 2 contender in ONE Championship's flyweight division, will rock Lions Nation's black and gold trunks for the first time when he takes no No. 4 Yuya "Little Piranha" Wakamatsu at ONE 165: Superlek vs. Takeru on January 28 at the Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan.

Unlike Eduard Folayang and Joshua Pacio, who also left Team Lakay and competed under the Lions Nation MMA banner, Kingad’s case is a bit different. He donned the Team Lakay red trunks one last time even after the exodus.

According to Kingad, he decided to stay with Team Lakay as he was already deep in preparation for Eko Roni Saputra. He wound up beating Saputra via a dominant decision in February 2023 before ultimately leaving Team Lakay in good terms.

• MMA: Dominant Kingad schools Saputra in Bangkok
• MMA: Kingad glad to prove doubters wrong

"When [Folayang and the others] left, I was already preparing for that fight against Eko Roni Saputra, so I went ahead and finished my camp for that fight with Team Lakay," Kingad explained.

"But as far as joining Lions Nation MMA, I already made up my mind during those times. I was always going to join them, my brothers. I was always going to compete with them," he added.

While it took some time for Kingad to jump ship, he said that there really weren't any questions as to where he was headed next. The bond that he formed with Pacio and Folayang was enough for him to make the move.

"Joining Lions Nation was a no-brainer. They’re my friends. They were the ones who were there in my low points, and I’ll make sure to be there for them now that they’re trying to help others. I’m happy here," he said.

"It’s a collaborative effort here which makes it more enjoyable. We watch the fights of our opponents together, then we brainstorm our game plan. When it comes to training, the support system has been excellent, everything is taken care of," he added.

Folayang has already backed Kingad to defeat Wakamatsu when they face off in a rematch of their September 2018 bout, where the Filipino walked away with a unanimous decision win.

• MMA: Folayang confident of Kingad's chances vs. Wakamatsu

Kingad, meanwhile, believes that their decision to leave Team Lakay and form their own camp will ultimately benefit the Philippine MMA scene.

"I think the split is a good thing for Philippine MMA. It opened more opportunities for everyone," he said. "Here in Baguio, for example, they now have more options to hone their skills, and more stages to showcase it, particularly in amateur competitions."

• MMA: Dominant Kingad schools Saputra in Bangkok
• MMA: Folayang, teammates explain decision to form Lions Nation

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