ONE Flyweight World Champion Adriano “Mikinho” Moraes is anticipating another win against legendary Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson, as he’s confident that he’ll have the American’s number once again.
The two top flyweights in the world are set to rematch in the main event of ONE 161: Moraes vs. Johnson II, which airs live in U.S. primetime on 26 August from the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
“As champion, I have to defend my title. Regardless of who my opponent is, I have to be ready on the scheduled date to do my job in the best possible way,” Moraes said ahead of ONE Championship’s first card to air live on Amazon Prime.
“I’ve fought Demetrious Johnson. I’ve shown my strength against him. But if this is the fight ONE Championship wants, if that’s the plan, I’m in. Let’s make it happen.”
They first met last year at “ONE on TNT I” where a lot of people expected Johnson to take the strap from the Brazilian.
But the American Top Team standout had other plans, as he flattened “Mighty Mouse” with a knee and subsequent punches.
With that in mind, “Mikinho” is coming in feeling no pressure, as he believes he can repeat his splendid performance.
“A lot of people were surprised, but my team and the people who always believed in me weren’t surprised. We already knew. We work very hard, we have a unique discipline. So for us, it was a normal working day, and thank God everything went well,” he said.
“I think that in this rematch, I have nothing to prove. I just want to give my best, as always, and show that I am an increasingly complete athlete.”
While he’s confident with his abilities, Moraes knows that it’s going to be harder against Johnson this time, especially given “Mighty Mouse’s” ability to adjust, being one of the smartest fighters to ever compete in MMA.
But the Brazilian trusts his team and his training, and he now wants to be the first man to submit Johnson in an MMA bout.
“This is the kind of fight that is very difficult to predict. Demetrious Johnson is a very smart guy, very tough, and I know he’s coming in very hungry for this rematch. I’m training a lot. I want to show my evolution as an athlete, so I believe I can get a submission in the fourth round,” he said.
“This fight is very important for my legacy because I want to make as many title defenses as I can during my career. And [another] victory over him will help a lot in building that legacy.”