"I was way more dominant against him" - Kairat Akhmetov compares his performance at ONE 158 with Demetrious Johnson

Demetrious Johnson (L) and Kairat Akhmetov (R) both claimed victories over Tatsumitsu Wada, but in different manners. | [Photo: ONE Championship]

Kairat Akhmetov believes he did better against Tatsumitsu Wada at ONE 158 than when Demetrious Johnson faced ‘The Sweeper’ in his first match in ONE Championship.

‘The Kazakh’ claimed his fifth straight victory last Friday by dominating Wada in their three-round encounter to earn a unanimous decision victory. The No.2-ranked fighter in the division hoped that his win streak would earn him a world title shot.

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However, the promotion announced at the same event that the No.1-ranked Demetrious Johnson will get another shot at Adriano Moraes at ONE 161.

Speaking to ONE Championship after the event, Akhmetov said that he trusts that the promotion is doing what's best for all parties.

Kairat Akhmetov said:

“I think our organization knows the best in this situation. Definitely, I do believe that I deserve that [world title shot] because I have a [five-bout] win streak. But, again, I believe in Mr. Chatri and his organization that there definitely is a reason why they [will] fight [again].”

Johnson’s first match in ONE Championship was against Wada back in 2019. While ‘Mighty Mouse’ pulled off a unanimous decision win as well, Akhmetov said their match could have gone either way, unlike his performance last Friday.

“I also watched the fight between Demetrious Johnson and Tatsumitsu Wada. I think during that fight, Tatsumitsu was very close to winning but everyone saw today that I was way more dominant against him,” he said.

Kairat Akhmetov believes he can defeat Demetrious Johnson or Adriano Moraes

Demetrious Johnson and Adriano Moraes are set to headline ONE Championship’s first event to be broadcast live in US prime time on August 26, ONE 161.

Since they last met in April 2021, Johnson and Moraes made their returns to the circle at ONE X, where they claimed huge victories. Moraes submitted current No.3-ranked Yuya Wakamatsu to defend his world title, while Johnson put Muay Thai superstar Rodtang Jitmuangnon to sleep in their special-rules bout.

DEMETRIOUS JOHNSON CHOKES OUT RODTANG https://t.co/4BCnVbkLl5

However, Kairat Akhmetov said that while he respects both fighters, he believes that he can defeat either of them if he were to face them in the future.

“I’m pretty sure that I can win [against] any of those guys. But of course, I’m not looking [down] at them. I respect them, but I know I’m better than them,” he said.