Adriano Moraes believes he can be the new face of MMA

At the ONE Championship and Amazon Prime press conference in Los Angeles, California, reigning ONE flyweight world champion Adriano Moraes said that he believes he could be the new face of MMA in the United States.

‘Mikinho’ Moraes has had a long run with the promotion, competing in 14 professional bouts since joining the ONE banner in 2013. In between those 14 fights, he’s had two title reigns, with his only losses coming via split decisions.

No man has ever been able to convincingly beat Moraes nor finish him in a fight — a credit to his years of training with American Top Team in Florida. The Brazilian native hasn’t stopped showing resilience and mental toughness in times of adversity in order to achieve his goals.

Now, with the new partnership between ONE Championship and Amazon, likely built around his upcoming bout against Demetrious Johnson at ONE on Prime Video 1, Moraes is looking at the bigger picture.

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The 33-year-old said via ONE Championship:

"I have been an ATT athlete for seven years. I have lived in the United States for seven years. It is already my second home. They welcomed me very well here, and I have a lot of fans here in America."

“I’m a very disciplined MMA and jiu-jitsu athlete, and that’s why I believe I can be the new face of MMA in the United States. I am always waiting for new opportunities, and I always ask God to show me the way. If that’s His will, I’ll take it, for sure.”

Adriano Moraes plans to make MMA footprint in the US with second finish against Demetrious Johnson

Adriano Moraes plans on making his MMA footprint in the US starting with a second finish against American legend Demetrious Johnson in August.

As the record-holder for most submission wins and finishes in ONE flyweight history, Adriano Moraes believes he has what it takes to finish Johnson on the ground again.

He told ONE:

“Demetrious Johnson is a very smart guy, very tough, and I know he’s coming in very hungry for this rematch. I’m training a lot. I want to show my evolution as an athlete, so I believe I can get a submission in the fourth round.”

After a devastating knockout win against Johnson, it’s possible to surmise that Moraes holds the upper hand in their rivalry.

About the author

Saray has been a part of Sportskeeda’s MMA team for the last two years and has penned over 1500 pieces so far. She extensively covers ONE Championship, reporting on disciplines like Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Muay Thai, MMA, and kickboxing. She previously spent a year working for BTC Promotions in Burlington, Ontario. She has a degree in English and was also an English Language instructor.

A former taekwondo practitioner, Saray’s favorite fighters include Khabib Nurmagomedov, Joanna Jedrzejczyk, and Demetrious Johnson.

Saray’s journey as an MMA fan began after watching Joanna Jedrzejczyk vs. Juliana Lima at UFC on Fox 12 in 2014. She now pushes to provide unique and accurate insights to MMA enthusiasts. Her extensive experience includes interviewing top ONE Championship athletes like Danielle Kelly and ‘Super’ Sage Northcutt via The MMA Superfan and Sportskeeda.

Outside of work, her other interests include watching the UFC, playing soccer, and blogging. And she loves being a mom.

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Edited by kennedyking2016

“I believe I can be the new face of MMA in the United States” - Adriano Moraes on ONE’s Prime Video partnership

Adriano Moraes plans to make MMA footprint in the US with second finish against Demetrious Johnson