WATCH: The untold story of Demetrious Johnson vs Adriano Moraes in ONE Championship
ONE flyweight world champion and MMA legend Demetrious Johnson is coming into the first trilogy of his storied career at ONE Fight Night 10 on Prime Video. 'Mighty Mouse' will face his rival, former ONE flyweight world titleholder Adriano 'Mikinho' Moraes, in the main event of ONE's first-ever event on North American soil.
Needless to say, ONE pulled the rabbit out of the hat by booking this rubber match. It is undoubtedly the most anticipated trilogy bout in the division's history. Demetrious Johnson is already considered to be in the Mt. Rushmore for MMA's pound-for-pound greats. Having him face the first and only man to ever knock him out in a series-defining match will definitely have the entire world of MMA watching.
In 2021, Moraes shook the foundations of the sport by becoming the first man to knock out Johnson in the latter's near-15-year career to that point. He did so by dropping him with a crushing right hand and finishing him with a hellacious flying knee on the ground.
Nearly a year after the first clash, Demetrious Johnson avenged his loss by knocking out Moraes in almost exactly the same fashion at ONE on Prime Video 1. With both kings 1-1 in their series, a third bout will definitely define where their legacies are going.
ONE Fight Night 10, which transpires on May 5 at the 1stBank Center in Colorado, is available live and for free to all Prime Video subscribers in North America..
Here's an in-depth look into the rivalry between Demetrious Johnson and Adriano Moraes:
Demetrious Johnson shares his secret to longevity in Mixed Martial Arts
Demetrious Johnson is currently enjoying one of the lengthiest, most consistently good careers in MMA history. Save for the Moraes loss in 2021, DJ's career has been largely untouched for 15 years. Coming into their second fight last year, Johnson had just turned 36-years-old and was looking just as sharp as he was ten years ago.
After his knockout of rival Adriano Moraes, Johnson became the only man to win world titles in both ONE Championship and UFC. He did so at an age where most consider themselves to be past their prime. Not DJ, apparently.
At the ONE Fight Night 6 media scrum in Bangkok, Thailand, earlier this year, Johnson was asked what the key was to his legendary longevity. Johnson said:
"The key to longevity is just knowing when to train and when not to train. The last time I've done any mixed martial arts training is Thanksgiving. So the last time I touched that base has been by about two months, and I think that's how we helped my longevity and just my mental capacity is in mixed martial arts."
Watch the full interview here: