5 Reasons To Be Excited For Demetrious Johnson Vs. Adriano Moraes III
The epic rivalry between Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson and Adriano “Mikinho” Moraes will reach its conclusion on a historic night for ONE Championship.
Their ONE Flyweight World Title trilogy fight will headline ONE on Prime Video 10 on May 5, 2023, which is the promotion’s debut event on United States soil.
With the score level at 1-1, fans can’t wait to see how the third encounter between Johnson and Moraes plays out at 1stBank Center in Broomfield, Colorado.
Here are five reasons to be excited about the rubber match between the iconic MMA stars.
#1 The World’s Best Flyweight Will Be Decided
Johnson is widely regarded as the greatest flyweight MMA fighter of all time. He set records in North America before moving to ONE in 2019, where he went on to win the ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix.
However, Moraes cemented his status as the division’s standout force in Asia when he met “Mighty Mouse” for the first time in April 2021. That evening, “Mikinho” finished the American legend in the second round to retain his ONE Flyweight World Title.
Johnson flipped the script in their second battle, making the necessary adjustments to secure a fourth-round stoppage and take the throne.
With long periods of dominance in the West and East, respectively, and with one win each to date, Johnson and Moraes are neck and neck when it comes to supremacy. Whoever earns the win on May 5 will prove they’re truly number one.
#2 It’s A Historic Main Event
Not only is it a high-stakes battle in terms of status, but the night will also go down in history as ONE’s first event on the ground in the U.S.
While neither man is a stranger to a main event spot, headlining such a memorable card puts more pressure on Johnson and Moraes to deliver the goods inside the Circle.
Their matchup is the star attraction for a brand-new chapter in the world’s largest martial arts organization, so there are a lot of expectations on their shoulders.
“Mighty Mouse” and his Brazilian challenger will each thrive off the occasion, and crowning a momentous night with World Title glory would surely go down as one of the greatest moments of their career.
#3 Can Lightning Strike For A Third Time?
In their first bout, “Mikinho” knocked out Johnson with a concussive grounded knee, becoming the first person to ever stop the American legend.
In an incredible twist, “Mighty Mouse” returned the favor with a flying knee in their rematch – also the only time Moraes has ever been finished.
Over the course of their long and illustrious careers, both fighters have faced a who’s who of elite flyweight rivals, but nobody else has been able to put them away early.
It seems far-fetched for the trilogy bout to end in the same manner, but after the first two results, who could write it off?
#4 They’re Armed With More Knowledge Than Ever
The difference coming into the third contest is that both men know each other much better.
Johnson likely underestimated BJJ specialist Moraes’ striking in their first fight, but he made the proper adjustments to counter in the rematch.
Combining his hunger for redemption with a cerebral game plan, “Mighty Mouse” adapted to get the job done, but this time, the Brazilian will enter with his own point to prove.
Can “Mikinho” and his coaches at American Top Team come up with a way to get a step ahead of the famously astute Johnson, or will DJ’s extra knowledge make him even harder to beat?
#5 Will Home Advantage Make A Difference?
Johnson has noted that the travel and acclimatization to Asia have taken some getting used to, but at ONE on Prime Video 10, he’ll fight on U.S. soil for the first time in almost five years.
While “Mighty Mouse” has fans all over the world, there’s still nothing quite like having a home crowd behind you for motivation.
Could this prompt an even better performance from the American, who was so dominant while competing in his homeland earlier in his career?
Although Moraes is the more seasoned traveler of the two, he could also benefit from the shorter trip from his adopted home in Florida.
Plus, he’s never had any issues going up against a crowd that favors his opponent – defeating both Geje Eustaquio and Danny Kingad in their native Philippines – so he won’t be fazed at all by Johnson’s loud supporters.
