DANNY Kingad knows exactly what comes next after watching his best friend and longtime comrade, Joshua Pacio, fall short of making history.
From 3,299 kilometers away in Baguio City, Kingad sat in front of the television and witnessed Pacio suffer a second-round technical knockout loss to Yuya Wakamatsu in the co-main event of ONE 173 last Sunday, November 16, at Tokyo’s Ariake Arena.
Pacio — the reigning ONE Strawweight MMA World Champion and Kingad’s teammate since their Team Lakay days before moving together to Lions Nation MMA — jumped to flyweight for a shot at Wakamatsu’s crown.
A victory would have made “The Passion” the first Filipino mixed martial artist to hold major world titles in two different weight classes.
For a moment, the plan seemed within reach. Pacio started strong in the super-fight, but the size and power difference quickly became evident. Wakamatsu, the naturally bigger man, bullied the Filipino superstar on the feet and on the ground with a barrage of heavy shots.
Though Pacio survived the early storm, Wakamatsu closed the show decisively in the second round to keep his tight grip on the divisional throne.
The defeat stung Kingad just as much as Pacio. After all, he was one of the key figures who helped the latter prepare for the challenge ahead.
“I’m proud of Joshua. He dared to be great and chased history. He may have fallen short this time, but that’s alright. He’ll be back. I know he will,” Kingad told Manila Standard in an exclusive interview.
Still, Kingad is certain this setback will only sharpen Pacio — as has been the case throughout his career.
“Every time he (Pacio) faces a setback, he returns as an even better fighter. So watch out,” Kingad shared.
Wakamatsu is also a familiar foe to Kingad.
The two split their previous encounters under the ONE Championship banner, with Kingad taking their first meeting in 2018 and Wakamatsu evening the rivalry in 2024.
Kingad acknowledged how far Wakamatsu has come, saying the Japanese hard-hitter has clearly earned his place at the top of the division.
“Yuya has improved tremendously, and that’s why he’s the champion today. But that also motivates me for my comeback,” he stated.
But as soon as he turned off the television over the weekend, something clicked for Kingad. He clenched his fists, fully aware of what he needs to do once he returns to the Landslide Martial Arts Training Center — the home base of Lions Nation MMA in La Trinidad, Benguet.
His priority is to get back in top shape and map out the road to a potential trilogy bout with Wakamatsu — this time with 26 pounds of gold at stake.
“I know Yuya very well. Once I regain my momentum next year and climb back up, I want that title shot. A trilogy fight with Yuya for the belt sounds perfect to me,” he said.
Kingad has been inactive this year after his contract with ONE expired in June. However, this article’s author has learned from a reliable source that the 30-year-old Sadanga, Mountain Province native has already inked a new deal with the promotion.
Although ONE offered him a fight earlier this month, Kingad chose to stay on the sidelines as he recently married his longtime partner, Jannine, and the couple is expecting their second child.
For Kingad, his yearlong hiatus has given him a rare breather — one that provided a fresh perspective on life and added fuel to his fire for a major comeback in 2026.
“I’ll be back in 2026. Be ready. I’m dedicating all of next year to my preparation,” he declared.
