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MMA: Eustaquio wants Team Lakay teammate to get title shot

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ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/sports/01/06/danny-kingad-2.jpg"/><figcaption>Danny Kingad should get a title shot in 2021, says his Team Lakay stablemate Geje Eustaquio. <em>Handout photo</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA, Philippines -- Former ONE flyweight champion Geje Eustaquio believes his Team Lakay teammate Danny Kingad has what it takes not only to challenge for the title in 2021, but even to dethrone the division&#x27;s kingpin.</p><p>While both Eustaquio and Kingad compete in ONE Championship&#x27;s loaded flyweight division, Eustaquio said his wish for 2021 is for Kingad to win the championship.</p><p>&quot;He has a good chance of earning another shot at the belt,&quot; Eustaquio said of Kingad. &quot;The kid is seriously talented and very strong.&quot;</p><p>Kingad is ranked second in the flyweight division, just behind former UFC flyweight world champion Demetrious &quot;Mighty Mouse&quot; Johnson and reigning ONE flyweight world champion Adriano Moraes.</p><p>He has a good case for challenging either man, as Kingad has won seven of his last eight fights. His last loss came against Johnson in October 2019 in the finals of the ONE Flyweight Grand Prix. Before that, his last defeat came against Moraes in November 2017, in what was his first title shot.</p><p>But Kingad has improved since then, and Eustaquio believes he will do much better in rematches against either Johnson or Moraes.</p><p>&quot;He&#x27;s consistently growing. He&#x27;s not the same fighter who fought Adriano and DJ the first time,&quot; Eustaquio said of his teammate.</p><p>&quot;Danny is a difficult match-up for anyone at this point,&quot; he warned.</p><p>While he wishes nothing but the best for his teammate, Eustaquio is also looking to put together a strong campaign in 2021 and get himself back in the title picture.</p><p>The 31-year-old has not fought since November 2019, when he stopped Toni Tauru in the third round.</p><p>&quot;For myself, I am hoping to make one more run at the title,&quot; said Eustaquio, who last held the ONE flyweight belt in June 2018 before losing it to Moraes in January 2019. </p><p>&quot;I&#x27;m working very hard to put myself in a position to compete at a high level,&quot; he added. &quot;My victory last year was a good start, and now I have to build on that.&quot;</p><p>Eustaquio anticipates that 2021 will be a busy year for himself and the rest of Team Lakay, as they all want to bounce back after a difficult 2020 that saw many of their teammates suffer losses inside the ONE Circle.</p><p>&quot;Everybody on the team is excited and very motivated to win,&quot; said Eustaquio, who bared that most of Team Lakay already started training again.</p><p>&quot;Spirits are very high, and we&#x27;re all ready to get the year started,&quot; he said. &quot;Most of us already started our preparations and are back in the gym, training.&quot;</p><div><strong>Related video: </strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/t9RzsUdJgKs?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

<p>Geje Eustaquio believes his Team Lakay teammate Danny Kingad has what it takes not only to challenge for the title in 2021, but even to dethrone the division's kingpin.<br /> </p>

Geje Eustaquio believes his Team Lakay teammate Danny Kingad has what it takes not only to challenge for the title in 2021, but even to dethrone the division's kingpin.