5 reasons Adriano Moraes beats Demetrious Johnson in rematch at ONE on Prime Video 1

Brazilian superstar Adriano Moraes is one of the most dominant world champions in the history of ONE Championship. His record of eight world title bout wins is only second to Bibiano Fernandes (11), and his three world championship reigns over the eight-year history of the belt are proof of his mastery over his peers in the division.

At ONE on Prime Video 1, he will face the toughest test of his professional career as he goes up against Demetrious Johnson for a second time. The event will be broadcast live at U.S. primetime on August 26.

While Moraes already owns a piece of history by becoming the first man to knock out ‘Mighty Mouse’ in MMA, their second tilt will prove to be an even tougher test for ‘Mikinho’. Johnson, considered by many to be one of the best fighters of his generation, will no doubt come out with a renewed passion to prove that he is still in his prime by redeeming himself from his latest MMA loss.

However, if there's one man who has the ability to hand Johnson the first back-to-back losses of his MMA career, it has to be Moraes. Here are five reasons why Adriano Moraes will beat Demetrious Johnson at ONE on Prime Video 1.

Get the latest updates on One Championship Rankings at Sportskeeda and more

#5. The incredible length of Adriano Moraes

Standing at 172cm, Adriano Moraes is huge for his weight class and he knows how to take full advantage of it. He is 11-3 in his ONE Championship career so far, with three split-decision losses that could have easily swung in his favor.

Even Chael Sonnen was amazed by just how big Moraes is when he saw him training in the gym. Demetrious Johnson, who stands at 160cm, said that Moraes’ length was his toughest challenge during their first match.

His wingspan of 176cm and a leg reach of 105cm towers over Johnson's 172cm wingspan and 91cm leg reach. Add the fact that Moraes is in perpetual motion when he fights, and it looks almost impossible for Johnson to land a clean shot on his rival if they stay on their feet.

Should they go on the ground, the long limbs of 'Mikinho' will only amplify his already formidable Brazilian jiu-jitsu skills, whether to defend or to inflict damage.

#4. Ground skills

Speaking of ground skills, Adriano Moraes will have a grappling advantage if they take their fight to the mat.

The 34-year-old traces his martial arts roots to BJJ, where he holds a black belt. His mastery on the ground is evident with seven of his 11 wins in the circle ending by way of submission. Even his fights that went the distance were scored in his favor because of his unmatched ability to control his opponent on the ground.

Of course, Johnson is no slouch off his feet. The former wrestler skillfully uses his first martial art discipline to take his opponents to the ground at will. He’s had his share of otherworldly submissions throughout his career and has worked his way up to brown belt in BJJ. His latest outing saw him squeeze the life out of the eyes of Muay Thai legend Rodtang Jitmuangnon in a mixed-rules fight.

In a grappling-heavy contest, Johnson’s grappling prowess could be outmatched by Adriano Moraes’ proficiency in ‘The Gentle Art'.

#3. A diverse striking arsenal

Because of his incredible grappling skills, Moraes has not needed to rely on his striking too much during his run in ONE Championship. However, he definitely has power behind his strikes, and even Johnson can attest to that.

Additionally, the promotion applies the Global Martial Arts Rule Set for its MMA bouts, which allows for a more diverse range of strikes compared to other MMA rule sets. Moraes already has 14 bouts to his name under this ruleset compared to only four for Johnson. As such, 'Mikinho' is more adept at the variety of strikes that he could use or defend against.

This was all showcased in their first encounter last year at ONE on TNT 1. During the second round of their matchup, Moraes stuffed a rushed takedown attempt by Johnson and snuck in a powerful right hand that rocked the American icon. As 'Mighty Mouse' attempted to get back to his feet, Moraes planted a precision knee to his head - a move that is legal under ONE rules.

Adriano Moraes has been able to use his killer striking in their first encounter, and he will no doubt look to use it again if only to prove that his first win was no fluke.

#2. Thirst for legitimacy

The first encounter between Adriano Moraes and Demetrious Johnson ended in an incredible knockout that shocked the world because of the star power that ‘Mighty Mouse’ brought to the match.

The 36-year-old is considered by many as one of the best to ever step inside the cage. He made his promotional debut in March 2019 and immediately made an impact by submitting Yuya Wakamatsu in the second round of their match. He went on to win his next two bouts, which culminated with him winning the ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix Championship final.

By conquering his first World Grand Prix tournament, he earned a shot at the gold held by Adriano Moraes. It was supposed to be his crowning glory before Moraes threw a proverbial wrench in that plan. Moraes’ huge win propelled his stock to the moon.

As they run it back on the promotion’s first card live at U.S. primetime via Prime Video, ‘Mikinho’ will have a chance to become an even bigger star if he beats Johnson once again. With 200 million Amazon Prime Video subscribers across North America watching together with fans from over 150 countries, a win by Adriano Moraes will surely erase any doubt about his legitimacy as an all-time great of the sport.

#1. No more jitters

Demetrious Johnson is one of the biggest stars of his generation and Adriano Moraes certainly knows who he is going up against. The American Top Team representative shared that when he learned about his first bout against Johnson, he felt that he was going to be ‘f***** up’ if he took it.

However, he put his heart into training well, let his game flow, and achieved an incredible result. The two have always had mutual respect for each other, and the result of their first fight did not change that.

Immediately after their match, Moraes approached Johnson and apologized for knocking him out, which the American gladly accepted as it is part of the sport they compete in.

With one win under his belt, Adriano Moraes will now head into his rematch knowing that the former UFC champion is beatable. Even if he feels that he is still the underdog against Johnson, the Florida-based Brazilian will surely carry a bit more confidence when he steps into the circle at ONE on Prime Video 1.