ONE showcases Adriano Moraes through the years, Brazilian primed to repeat victory over Demetrious Johnson

Adriano Moraes will step into the circle on August 26 to meet a familiar foe in Demetrious Johnson. The two will run back their epic ONE on TNT 1 bout in the main event of ONE 161.

When the promotion airs live for the first time on Amazon Prime Video, Johnson will look to right the wrongs he suffered in April 2021, while ‘Mikinho’ will aim to solidify his claim as the best flyweight in the world by defeating the all-time great not once, but twice.

ONE Championship recently took a look back at Moraes’ incredible run as flyweight world champion in a series of still images released on Instagram.

“Mikinho's" dominance is UNDENIABLE 👑 Will the longtime flyweight king successfully defend his throne against Demetrious Johnson for the second time at ONE 161? 👀 @moraesadrianomma”

While speaking to The Schmo, Johnson said that he was cool as a cucumber going into the biggest rematch of his career.

"Just another fight you know. My last fight against Rodtang, I came out there. Banging and slinging, you know. I got the finish with that guy and you know with Adriano Moraes, I'm just going to come out there and fight again and just try to take it to him.”

Catch the interview below:

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Patience will be the key to victory for Demetrious Johnson at ONE 161

To walk away with the flyweight world title on August 26, Demetrious Johnson will need to have patience. One could argue that his loss in their first contest in 2021 was due to a lack of patience.

In the first round, Moraes appeared to have little interest in engaging with ‘Mighty Mouse.’ The Brazilian fighter circled out and opted to kick through most of the first five minutes.

As the smaller of the two, Johnson struggled to get inside and initiate the clinch, which is something he typically excels at. This likely led to a bout of impatience in the second round when Johnson grabbed at a kick thrown by Moraes, leading to the fight-ending sequence.

Given the success he experienced in their first outing, ‘Mikinho’ will likely stick to the same game plan in the rematch. Johnson can use this to his advantage.

If Moraes decides to keep his distance with kicks, Demetrious Johnson should look to punish the reigning world champion by countering with a cross straight down the pipe. This will deter Moraes from throwing low kicks and allow Johnson to close the distance without rushing in and putting himself in a compromising position.

If ‘Mighty Mouse’ avoids repeating the same mistakes he made in their first meeting, there is no reason he can’t walk out of ONE 161 the new ONE flyweight world champion.