WATCH: Adriano Moraes get deep in his bag in nail-biting trilogy match against old rival Geje Eustaquio in Manila

Before stepping into another pivotal showdown later this month, Adriano Moraes has already shown his ability to turn familiarity into a weapon.

A prime example came in January 2019 when the Brazilian sensation recaptured the ONE flyweight MMA world championship, defeating longtime rival Geje Eustaquio in their trilogy bout at ONE: Hero’s Ascent before a packed Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines.

Watch the highlights of that matchup below:

Moraes imposed his grappling dominance throughout the five-round battle, neutralizing Eustaquio’s striking and securing a unanimous decision victory.

Despite Eustaquio landing cleaner, more powerful punches, it was Moraes’ superior ground game that dictated the contest. He even locked in a deep Suloev Stretch that nearly ended the fight, but the resilient Filipino refused to tap.

Ultimately, the judges awarded the bout to Moraes, closing the chapter on their storied rivalry.

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Adriano Moraes faces an old doe at ONE 172

Now, history seems to be repeating itself. On March 23, Moraes will once again cross paths with a familiar foe in his quest to reclaim flyweight MMA gold.

He is set to face Yuya Wakamatsu in a rematch for the vacant ONE flyweight MMA world championship at ONE 172, live from the iconic Saitama Super Arena in Japan.

A former champion who held the division’s top prize an astonishing eight times, “Mikinho” saw his reign come to an end in August 2022 when he fell to Demetrious Johnson in their second duel at ONE on Prime Video 1.

Nine months later, he had another shot at redemption at ONE Fight Night 10, but once again, Johnson emerged victorious via unanimous decision.

With Johnson’s retirement leaving the weight class without a king sitting at the top, both Moraes and Wakamatsu see this as their moment to seize the throne.

While Wakamatsu has evolved since their first meeting, Moraes still holds the blueprint to beating him — setting the stage for a can’t-miss showdown at ONE 172.

Fans around the world can catch the action live via pay-per-view on watch.onefc.com.