"He's still in the first place" - Adriano Moraes on Demetrious Johnson's place in MMA's GOAT hierarchy

Adriano Moraes believes that there’s only one mixed martial artist befitting to be called the GOAT, and that man is Demetrious Johnson.

In an interview with The Schmo, Moraes said that Johnson continues to reign atop the sport and is still at the forefront of helping develop MMA.

While there are other fighters who vie for GOAT status, Moraes believes that it’s only Johnson who should be called the greatest ever.

Adriano Moraes said:

“He’s still in the first place for me. Just for everything, he did and he keeps doing it for the sport and our division. I think he’s still the greatest of all time and yes it is.”

Johnson was near-invincible while ruling over the UFC flyweight division as its world champion from 2012 to 2018. During that pediod, he recorded 11 successful title defenses.

‘Mighty Mouse’ then moved to ONE Championship in the latter part of 2018 and became the ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix Champion.

At 35 years old, Johnson is still an incomparable figure to any fighter in the sport. He even took on and submitted ONE flyweight Muay Thai world champion Rodtang Jitmuangnon in a mixed-rules match at ONE X.

Catch The Schmo's interview with Moraes below:

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Adriano Moraes recalls win over Johnson

Like any flyweight in the world, Adriano Moraes dreamt of one day taking on Johnson. The Brazilian star got that dream fulfilled when he defended his ONE flyweight world championship against the legend at ONE on TNT I in April 2021.

It was in that match that Moraes made sporting history.

Midway through the second round, Moraes landed a cracking knee to the downed Johnson that immediately put the American legend to sleep.

Moraes stunned the world when he became the first man to knock out Johnson. He also did so by using a strike that’s perfectly allowed under the Global Martial Arts Rule Set.

‘Mikinho’ said that the win was arguably the biggest of his professional career. He added that Johnson would’ve used the same strike against him if there was a chance.

“It was an amazing win for my career, that’s the fight that I would’ve wanted to have in my MMA career and I got that opportunity. I trained hard, I put my strategy in the game and I got it. Of course, we’re talking about ONE Championship rules, it’s like Vale Tudo. MMA is like one for Vale Tudo. I love the rules. It’s like you say, if you don’t give the downed opponent the knee, they’re gonna give it to you.”