“Makes you feel really exhausted” - Adriano Moraes says Demetrious Johnson’s pace is hard to keep up with

ONE flyweight world champion Adriano Moraes has admitted that Demetrious Johnson’s pace is exhausting and hard to keep up with.

With ONE on Prime Video 1 almost upon us, Moraes will finally meet Johnson in the circle one year after their 2021 fight. The pair are set to collide on August 26 at US primetime.

In their first face-off, ‘Mikinho’ was forced to defend from the outside, circling around the cage to keep ‘Mighty Mouse’ from engaging at close range. The strategy required a lot of movement on Moraes’ part, which he admitted is going to be Johnson’s greatest strength heading into their rematch.

Moraes spoke highly about Johnson’s relentless pressure in an open workout interview with The MMA Super-Fan, predicting the same strategy:

“I think he’s gonna try to make me tired again and smash me as fast as he can. [The most difficult thing about DJ is] his speed. He has good conditioning and his speed, he likes to push the pace and makes you feel really exhausted.”

Catch the interview below:

Adriano Moraes has been training at American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Florida, with the world’s leading boxing, jiu-jitsu, and strength and conditioning coaches in the country.

The Brazilian superstar understands he needs to be on par with his rival’s speed and stamina if he’s going to win the fight. One mistake can change the future of either opponent, and Moraes, for one, doesn't want to be on the receiving end of that exchange.

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Adriano Moraes knows he’s got more records to break before achieving legendary status

Adriano Moraes believes he isn’t worthy yet of a legendary status but is working towards achieving that goal in the near future.

The 33-year-old MMA sensation has broken a couple of records already and among them is being the first man in MMA history to knock out ‘Mighty Mouse’. He accomplished that feat in the second round at ONE on TNT 1 last year.

However, Moraes believes that he’s got a long way to go before fans start comparing him to legendary all-time greats including his rival, former record-breaking UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson.

‘Mikinho’ told ONE Championship:

“I believe I still have a little more to prove, that I have to beat a few more records to put myself in this scenario and compare myself with other legends. I think I still have a lot to work on to get to that level.”