Former ONE flyweight world champion Adriano Moraes is heading for a massive trilogy bout against reigning divisional king Demetrious Johnson at ONE Fight Night 10: Johnson vs. Moraes III on Prime Video.
His epic clash with 'Mighty Mouse' is expected to be the biggest rubber match in the division's history as both fighters scored a knockout each in their first two battles.
Ahead of Adriano Moraes' bout with Johnson on May 5th, ONE reminded fans of how methodical and deadly 'Mikinho' can be when the fight hits the ground. At ONE X last year, the Brazilian superstar defended his throne against Japanese dynamo Yuya 'Little Piranha' Wakamatsu..
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The fight started slowly in the first round, where both fighters were given a yellow card for inactivity. After the stern penalty from the referee, the two warriors increased their intensity in the next round. In the third round, however, Wakamatsu made a fatal mistake by sluggishly shooting for a takedown on a known grappling master.
With the Japanese KO artist's neck exposed, Adriano Moraes had no problems sinking in a guillotine choke. 'Mikinho', a seasoned jiu-jitsu black belt, forced Wakamatsu to tap out almost immediately.
Watch the full fight here:
Heading towards perhaps the biggest fight of his storied career and making his US debut as a ONE fighter, Adriano Moraes sees his May 5th fight as more than just a rubber match. In an interview with ONE Championship, 'Mikinho' explained what his epic third clash with Demetrious Johnson means to him:
“I’ve been fighting in Asia for 10 years and I’ve always wanted to fight in America... I think it’s going to be really good for my legacy. I’m really excited for my US debut too.”
Legacies will definitely be forged come Friday night. ONE Fight Night 10, which will be ONE's first-ever live on-ground event on American soil, will air from the soldout 1stBank Center in Colorado on May 5. The event will be available live and for free to all Prime Video subscribers in North America.