Geje “Gravity” Eustaquio’s focus is entirely on defending the ONE Flyweight World Title against Adriano “Mikinho” Moraes at ONE: HERO'S ASCENT on Jan. 25, but that does not mean he is not looking ahead.
If Eustaquio survives his rubber match with the Brazilian grappling wizard, then he can entirely shift his focus on monitoring the upcoming ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix, which will be bannered by the longtime pound-for-pound king Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson.
"The Flyweight Grand Prix will have the best martial artists in the world competing for a shot at my belt. It is my job as a champion to watch their every move and study how they do inside the cage,” said Eustaquio.
Johnson is set to lock horns with Yuya “Little Piranha” Wakamatsu in the opening round of the flyweight tournament at ONE: A NEW ERA in Tokyo, Japan on 31 March, and though the full bracket isn’t announced yet, the American is certainly the favorite to win the tournament.
"I am excited to witness Demetrious Johnson's debut just like the rest of the world. He is without a doubt one of the greatest, if not the greatest athlete to set foot inside the cage," Eustaquio said.
"The flyweight division is already stacked and talented as it is. The addition of Johnson takes this division to a whole new level."
Thinking about Johnson is a bit premature at this point though, and Eustaquio insists that he isn’t looking past Moraes, who remains one of the most dangerous grapplers in the division.
The two first met at ONE: RISE OF THE KINGDOM back in September of 2014 with Moraes securing a victory via guillotine choke in the second round. The 29-year-old wushu artist finally secured a win over his Brazilian rival at ONE: PINNACLE OF POWER last 23 June to even their series at one apiece.
Eustaquio said that he picked up a lot in his loss to Moraes four years ago, knowing that they will cross paths again in the future.
“That loss has taught me a lot. Ever since then, I have worked extensively in improving in all areas. I have worked extremely hard to get to this point because deep inside, I knew we would meet again,” Eustaquio said.
He knows that being a World Champion puts a huge target on his back, and he welcomes all challenges starting with Moraes in the Philippines.
“I am here to prove that I am the champion for a reason. I will never back down from any challenge.”