Former flyweight MMA champ Adriano Moraes reveals the most memorable fight of his decorated career
Adriano Moraes has had some pretty remarkable fights in ONE Championship throughout his storied career. But there's one that sticks to his memory like glue.
Speaking to Party Starter Radio in a recent guest appearance, Moraes shared that experience and what it meant to him.
'Mikinho' recalled:
"My first World Title was one of the pinnacles of my career. It was in Cambodia, it was in the capital of Phnom Penh. It was a really small theater and it was against a Filipino guy, Geje Eustaquio."
Moraes added:
"This fight happened in NagaWorld, a big casino they put in the middle of nowhere in Cambodia. When I got there, I was like, ‘How did they build it here?’ Because in Cambodia, there’s a lot of poverty around. It’s a country that suffered a lot in the Vietnam war. You could see from the face of the people, the sadness was crazy. But they still felt positive."
Moraes fought Eustaquio in Sept. 2014 at ONE: Rise of the Kingdom. He won via second-round submission.
Speaking about the experience, he further stated:
"I remember I was walking around the city and everybody was saying hi. Everybody is staying positive. And that made me think about life. Those people suffered a lot in the Vietnam war. Their poverty is so intense, you could see with your eyes, and they are still so positive and so kind to everybody. I said, oh my God, I really need to be more grateful with my life, to be here today, to be in that World Title fight. In the fight, they came over, and we were inside the cage."
Adriano Moraes goes to war with Danny Kingad at ONE 169 on Prime Video
'Mikinho' Adriano Moraes is set to fight 'The King' Danny Kingad of the Philippines. The two do battle at ONE 169: Malykhin vs. Reug Reug on Prime Video, which broadcasts live from the historic Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand on Friday, Nov. 8.
Fans in the United States and Canada can catch all the action live and absolutely free on Amazon Prime Video. Stay tuned to Sportskeeda MMA for all the latest news and updates surrounding the event as it happens.