“I was asking too much of myself” - Adriano Moraes shares where he went wrong in back-to-back losses to Demetrious Johnson
Former ONE flyweight MMA world champion and current first-ranked contender 'Mikinho' Adriano Moraes of Brazil may have lost back-to-back fights to his American rival, the legendary 'Mighty Mouse' Demetrious Johnson. The 36-year-old American Top Team / Constrictor Team veteran, however, says he learned a lot from the experience.
One of his biggest takeaways was that he simply demanded way too much of himself, which led to an eventual burnout.
At ONE 169: Malykhin vs. Reug Reug on Prime Video earlier this month, Moraes returned to winning ways by defeating no.3-ranked Danny Kingad in a highly anticipated rematch. Speaking to veteran MMA reporter Nick Atkin of the Bangkok Post in a post-fight interview, Moraes expressed his excitement at getting back in the win column.
'Mikinho' said:
"I feel really great to be back and to win this fight. After my last two bouts in ONE Championship, I was asking too much of myself, like in this sport, you need something to keep you going, you know? And I’m so happy to come back and win this fight."
Moraes dropped back-to-back defeats to 'Mighty Mouse' in August 2022 and May 2023. He has now returned with a victory over Kingad and announced his desire to reclaim the gold belt he lost.
ONE 169: Malykhin vs. Reug Reug on Prime Video took place live at the historic Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand last Saturday, Nov. 9. Fans in the United States and Canada can catch all the action via replay on-demand with an active Amazon Prime Video subscription.
Adriano Moraes thanks fans for sticking with him through thick and thin: "I’m the OG over here"
Adriano Moraes has been in ONE Championship for over a decade, and he wants to thank all the fans who have supported him throughout the years.
'Mikinho' told the Bangkok Post:
"So I want to thank everybody for coming up. For the fans and everyone who still support me in this journey. It’s almost 14 years in ONE Championship, I’m the OG over here. Thank you very much for your support. I’m looking forward to get back soon."
Stay tuned to Sportskeeda MMA for all the latest news and updates surrounding Adriano Moraes' next fight.