Adriano Moraes Talks Demetrious Johnson, Past Errors, and ONE Fight Night 10

ONE Championship is ready to make history in Denver, Colorado, this weekend, and former ONE Flyweight World Champion Adriano Moraes has similar intentions.

“Mikinho” will meet reigning flyweight king Demetrious Johnson in a trilogy match for the ages in the main event of ONE Fight Night 10, ONE’s debut show on U.S. soil, this Saturday, 6th May.

With the end of the rivalry nearing, Moraes has been reflecting on his feud with “Mighty Mouse,” and he has mixed emotions.

Both men have scored a knockout each other, and the Brazilian superstar feels he has hit his career high point and low point during their series.

“I consider him the biggest rival of my career. Not only by the numbers but because he is regarded as the best in the world and also by our history in this division,” Moraes said.

“He was my greatest victory. And, at the same time, my greatest defeat. This is why he is one of my greatest rivals in MMA.”

When the two first met in 2021, Moraes caused shockwaves in the combat sports world when he became the first man to knock out Johnson in his storied career.

“Mikinho” retained the flyweight throne with a devastating grounded knee in the second round of their tussle at ONE on TNT I.

However, in the rematch last August, Johnson was the one who walked away with the win.

Almost mirroring the finishing fragments of the first fight, the 13-time MMA World Champion landed a flying knee on Moraes to finish him and take the belt.

Reflecting on the second bout, the former king admits that he made missteps in his preparation. He neglected to focus on his diet and nutritional routine, which left him shook when it came time for action.

“I think I did almost everything right. I just regret a little bit of my diet. I ended up eating too much and did not pass the first hydration test, and that affected me a lot the day before the fight. I paid a high price.”

The rivalry has ebbed and flowed, but as he prepares for its final chapter, Moraes, ultimately, feels pride for what he and Johnson have built.
Their trilogy bout will headline ONE’s most important event to date, and that serves as a testament to its brilliance.

“We have been building the division for a few years, and I was the first champion of the ONE flyweight category,” Moraes said.
“I’m glad to be one of the pillars of the category and to be able to make the main event of the first ONE Championship event in the U.S. It is unheard of, and it will be very significant to beat him in the U.S.”