'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
As he awaits for his next fight, Brazilian mixed martial arts star Adriano Moraes has found time to take stock of how his career has gone and absorb the lessons learned along the way.
‘Mikinho,’ in particular, is using the three title fights he had with American MMA legend and reigning ONE flyweight world champion Demetrious Johnson as cues, which he looks to use as a guide moving forward in his career.
The 35-year-old American Top Team/Constrictor Team standout shared to ONE Championship in an interview:
“Regardless of victory or defeat, the lesson that remains is to recognize that life has these things, that one day you are on top, and the next you are at the bottom. One day you are the champion, and the next you are the contender. But you have to always be grateful for everything.”
Trending
Get the latest updates on One Championship Rankings at Sportskeeda and more
Adriano Moraes first met ‘Mighty Mouse’ in April 2021, where the Brazilian, then the ONE flyweight world champion, staked his title against ONE flyweight world grand prix winner Demetrious Johnson.
There he dealt Johnson his first defeat in ONE Championship, winning by way of knockout (grounded knee) in the second round and retaining his world title.
The two then collided in August 2022 in a rematch. But unlike in their first encounter, it was the American fighter who emerged as the winner, knocking out Adriano Moraes with a flying knee in the fourth round to become the new division king.
Seeking to settle the score once and for all, the two top flyweights met for the third time back in May in ONE’s first-ever live on-ground event in the United States.
Demetrious Johnson once again came away the winner, outgunning his rival to win by unanimous decision and taking the lead in their head-to-head matchup.
The match was widely believed to be the last between the two as they both expressed they are no longer interested in battling one another.
Adriano Moraes is one of the long-tenured fighters in ONE, having been part of the promotion since 2013. He first became flyweight world champion in September 2014 and is now the No. 1 contender in the division.
