ONE Fight Night 10: Demetrious Johnson vs. Adriano Moraes 3 preview and prediction
Previewing and predicting the colossal ONE Championship main event.
ONE Championship makes its long awaited US debut this Friday, May 5 and they sure are trying to make a huge impact. The 1STBANK Center in Broomfield, Colorado will hosts a total of 11 fights and close out the show with three title bouts, all in different practices of combat sports.
All the fights pale in comparison to the main event though. The man many consider to be the greatest of all time, Demetrious Johnson (24-4-1) will return to compete on American soil for the first time since leaving the UFC, this time defending his ONE Championship flyweight title.
His opponent might not be as well known to the wider MMA community, but make no mistake, Adriano Moraes (20-4) is a dangerous man. So dangerous in fact that the inaugural ONE flyweight champion is the only man to hand Johnson a loss inside the distance.
With the two holding devastating knockout victories over each other, this flyweight trilogy has all the elements to cap off an exhilarating fight card, and put an end to this epic rivalry once and for all.
ONE Fight Night 10: Demetrious Johnson vs. Adriano Moraes 3 prediction
MMA fans are all well aware of the world-class qualities that Johnson possesses. Crisp kickboxing is combined with elite wrestling and a submission game that has made even Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champions tap out. The UFC's record holder for most title defences with 11 can put away his opponent in any way he desires or can outclass them to score huge lopsided decisions.
Unfortunately for him, Moraes is just the same. He might not have the resume, accolades, or recognition but he has been a monster since joining ONE Championship all the way back in 2013. A three-time ONE flyweight champion, Moraes is essentially what Johnson was to the UFC: An all-conquering flyweight with the skillset to put away his adversary in any way that he wants.
Easily the fight with the most on the line, expect another high intensity bout that resembles the first two encounters they had. With the two sharing such similar skillsets, there are two external factors that could come into play.
For Moraes, it is his size. Although they are listed as flyweights, ONE Championship's flyweight division actually weighs in at 135 pounds due to their rehydration clause system, resembling MMA's bantamweight division.
Johnson has been competing in this weight class since joining the Singapore-based promotion but he is still five inches shorter than Moraes, a trait his opponent used to his advantage in the first encounter that ended with Johnson out cold.
The home crowd will play a huge role for Johnson. Making his competitive return to the US for the first time in almost five years, a man who is as like and revered in the MMA community will get a huge pop when he makes his way towards the cage.
As things stand, there is not much separating but expect Johnson to walk away as the winner of an intense, high paced match with a little more hesitance to engage as neither would want to be knocked out again. With retirement rumors circling around Johnson, he retains his title and walks away from the sport as the MMA G.O.A.T.
Prediction: Demetrious Johnson by decision
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