Kairat Akhmetov Has Sights On Securing Next Flyweight Title Shot At ONE Fight Night 10

Demetrious Johnson is set to return to action on Friday, May 5 to defend his sought-after flyweight championship in the main event of ONE Fight Night 10 against arch-nemesis Adriano Moraes.

While "Mighty Mouse" handles his business with his Brazilian rival, a three-round mixed martial arts contest pitting two ranked flyweight contenders is booked on the undercard of the historic event happening at the 1stBank Center in Denver, Colorado.

Kairat Akhmetov, a former ONE flyweight titleholder who currently holds the No. 2 seat in the division's rankings, is slated to square off with No. 4-rated Reece McLaren in a rematch.

Both men first crossed paths in the quarterfinal round of the 2019 ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix, with Akhmetov walking away with the victory by way of unanimous decision.

The two will get to duke it out once more as a potential world title shot could be on the horizon for the winner of the pivotal clash, and Akhmetov seeks to seize the opportunity.

The 35-year-old standout from Almaty, Kazakhstan is riding high on a five-fight winning streak, and he can't help but feel left out of the pecking order.

"I've done a lot of things to get a title fight. I consider myself the top contender, and I think I should have fought for the title a long time ago," he stressed.

However, he is not losing hope. For Akhmetov, it's a chance to remove all the doubts that he is truly next in line for a crack at 26 pounds of gold.

"I was surprised when I was offered him again as I've already fought Reece. I don't want to face the same guys repeatedly. I want to move on and face someone new. But at the end of the day, I need to fight, and I don't really care who I fight, so I just signed the contract," he said.

"I could have declined this fight with Reece and just waited for the result of the Moraes vs. Johnson fight. But I can't just sit still. I'm not afraid of anybody but God. I'm 100% ready."

Meanwhile, McLaren has been building momentum since his last encounter with Akhmetov, winning four of his six previous outings.

In addition, the Australian dynamo has won two of his assignments in 2022 by finish.

Although McLaren has a different outcome in mind this time around, Akhmetov is adamant to make sure that no one will rain on his parade this Friday.

"I want to show that I am No. 1 in the rankings and worthy of a world title fight," he declared.