Eko Roni Saputra has beef to settle with Adriano Moraes

ONE Championship lightweight standout Eko Roni Saputra has a score to settle with former ONE flyweight world champion Adriano Moraes.

The Evolve MMA product made significant strides in 2022, scoring wins over Chan Rothana and Yodkaikaew Fairtex, moving him to 7-1 in his professional MMA career, the lone loss coming in his ONE Championship debut. Despite the impressive run he is currently on, Moraes is seemingly unimpressed with the fighter.

In an interview with ONE Champion, Eko Roni Saputra unloaded on eight-time flyweight champion Adriano Moraes who, according to Saputra, discredited one of his victories on social media:

“My wife actually told me not to [say this publicly] yet because I am a bit furious with a statement this person made when I won against Liu Peng Shuai. He said that my opponent was very easy to beat, but he erased the comment [on social media]. It is [Adriano] Moraes. That is why, after my next fight, I want to call him out.

“I told my wife, ‘I want this person to face me because he underestimated me.’ It doesn’t mean that I want to fast-track myself to the top, no. I just want to face the person who undermined me.” Saputra added.

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Eko Roni Saputra simply wants to confront the man that underestimated him

Eko Roni Saputra is not chasing clout by calling out one of the biggest flyweight fighters of all time. He simply wants Moraes to put some respect on his name, and the best way to accomplish that is in the circle:

“Let everyone else say that I have a great ambition to go against Moraes, but I am confident. I will put him to sleep as soon as possible. I mean, he erased his comment. If he had the guts, he shouldn’t have erased the comment. If he wanted to say that, then let it be.”

The 31-year-old Indonesian scrapper looks set to take a very big step up in competition in the new year. He has every intention of adding Moraes to his growing list of victims:

“Of course, I am totally fired up. I will call him out [after my next fight] because there is still something unsettled here.”

Before Eko Roni Saputra can get his hands on Moraes, 'Mikinho' will first have the chance to regain the flyweight crown from the man who took it from him, Demetrious Johnson.

The two flyweight greats will meet in a highly anticipated trilogy bout at ONE on Prime Video 10 on May 5 when ONE Championship makes its long-awaited debut in the United States.