“My thought was ‘I f****d up” - Adriano Moraes’ reaction on finding out he had to fight Demetrious Johnson

ONE flyweight world champion Adriano Moraes is as confident as any champion should be, but he felt that fighting Demetrious Johnson back in 2021 would've sent him to oblivion.

That didn’t happen, though, as Moraes successfully defended his world title against the man he considers to be the greatest fighter of all time.

The two flyweight kings will add a new chapter to their legendary careers when they face each other for the second time at ONE on Prime Video 1: Moraes vs. Johnson II on August 26, Friday US primetime, at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

In an interview with The MMA Super-Fan, Moraes admitted that he felt some doubt heading into his first fight against Johnson at ONE on TNT I back in April 2021.

‘Mikinho' thought that Johnson was about to give him the worst beating of his career, but every doubt he had got swept away when he knocked ‘Mighty Mouse’ out to retain his ONE flyweight world title.

Adriano Moraes said:

“When they scheduled for the first time my [first] fight against DJ, my thought was ‘I f***** up because he’s gonna kick my ass, he’s gonna destroy my dreams. Everything that I’m building, the guy, the greatest of all time, gonna come and will destroy my dreams.’”

He added:

“That was my first thought, so when I came back home, I asked my wife to help me out, to rebuild my mindset to fight against him. When you share the cage against the guy who always inspired you, was your idol, it’s pretty hard. You need to be ready. You need to have the correct mindset to do the right thing and win the fight. That’s what I did and I’m proud of it.”

Moraes’ victory over Johnson was also a critical moment in both fighters’ careers. The result was the first KO win for the Brazilian star in ONE Championship as well as the first time that ‘Mighty Mouse’ was ever finished in a fight.

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Adriano Moraes feels good heading into titanic rematch with Demetrious Johnson

World title fights, especially against an opponent you’ve faced already, will always carry a certain air of pressure. Adriano Moraes, however, is feeling as light as possible heading into his second match against Demetrious Johnson.

In the same interview with The MMA Super-Fan, Moraes said he’s had a good camp at American Top Team in Florida, and he’s feeling confident ahead of the main event.

Adriano Moraes feels everything has fallen into place for his second world title fight against the No.1-ranked flyweight contender and he’s just waiting for the cage door to open. He added:

“My fight camp was really good, in Florida at American Top Team. We have an amazing group who helped me out and I have some of the best teammates to ever train with me you know, good coaches, good vibes. When the vibe is right you’re gonna have a positive fight.”