“I can’t wait to shock the world again” - Adriano Moraes determined to beat Demetrious Johnson again
When Adriano Moraes stepped into the circle to defend his ONE flyweight world championship against Demetrious Johnson at ONE on TNT 1, many had already counted the Brazilian out. ‘Mighty Mouse’ entered his first ONE world title fight as a massive favorite, with some sportsbooks having him as high as a -700 favorite.
What went down was one of the most shocking knockouts in ONE Championship history. Moraes rendered Johnson unconscious with a perfectly placed knee to DJ’s chin in the second round. Speaking to The MMA Super Fan, Adriano Moraes shared his intent to shock the world once again when the two meet in the ONE on Prime Video 1 main event:
“Yes, in Brazil we like to say ‘when the thing is good, you need to do it twice’ I can’t wait to shock the world again.”
‘Mikinho’ has talked about his desire to score a submission victory over Johnson in their second outing. However, it’s safe to say that any type of victory over ‘Mighty Mouse’ in their rematch on Friday will cement Moraes’ legacy as one of the greatest flyweights in all of combat sports history.
Adriano Moraes predicts a fourth-round submission against Demetrious Johnson
Having already scored a highlight-reel knockout over the former flyweight world champion, Adriano Moraes believes he can finish ‘Mighty Mouse’ once again, this time via submission. Given that Demetrious Johnson had never been finished before their 2021 meeting, Moraes could potentially establish himself as the best flyweight in MMA history if he adds a submission victory over DJ on Friday.
"This is the kind of fight that is very difficult to predict. Demetrious Johnson is a very smart guy, very tough, and I know he’s coming in very hungry for this rematch. I’m training a lot. I want to show my evolution as an athlete, so I believe I can get a submission in the fourth round.”
Given Johnson’s renewed focus on the ground game leading up to their rematch, submitting the flyweight great will be a tough task for the Brazilian star. He’s got the length, the reach, and the BJJ skills to get it done, but ‘Mighty Mouse’ will no doubt come into the bout as a completely different fighter this time around.