The world knows the name Adriano Moraes as a star on the MMA stage. His name is flying as the first person to win by knockout over MMA legend Demetrious Johnson.
Moraes’ success in the MMA arena cannot be separated from the hard work he has done since childhood. A sad and winding childhood has forged a man born in Brazil in 1998 to become a tough fighter to become an MMA world champion.
The sad story begins when her biological mother abandons her on the streets – a place that is dangerous for anyone, let alone a baby. Until now, he never knew who the woman who had given birth to him.
Little Adriano is rescued from the streets and taken to an orphanage. When he was 3 years old, he was adopted by Mirtes Moraes, a woman he now calls his mother. In his new home, Adriano was raised and raised like his own flesh and blood.
“Mother means everything to me. She is an idol, I did everything for her, and I will continue to do my best for her,” said Moraes.
When he was a teenager, Moraes grew into a cheerful child full of energy. To direct her talent, her mother enrolled her in various activities such as capoeira, judo, and swimming. It’s just that he can’t seem to get away from the street where he started his first life.
The fighter nicknamed “Mikinho” spent much of his teenage years on the streets to get involved in gangster associations and street fights. However, all those experiences led him to a place that gave him direction in life.
It was also the street fights that made him decide to practice Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ). Like a miracle, the door to a new world immediately opened for Moraes. He left the street life to train at the Constrictor Team, a well-known gym under the guidance of Erick Medeiros and Ataide Junior.
From there, he dedicated himself to the sport and won various BJJ titles a few years later. Ultimately, he won the NAGA No-Gi Pro Division in 2014 – a prestigious tournament in Latin America. One year later, he received a black belt which marks the highest level in the sport.
After achieving success in the discipline called “the gentle art”, Adriano Moraes continued in the footsteps of several of his teammates and tried the MMA arena.
Success in MMA
Achieving Success in MMA, the Brazilian athlete made his professional debut in MMA in 2011. Over the next three years, he won 12 of 13 matches and won the championship title in Brazil.
He reached the pinnacle of his career by defeating Geje Eustaquio in September 2014 to claim the inaugural ONE Flyweight World Title.
“Martial arts changed my life for the better. It changed my thinking, changed everything in my life, and became very important,” said Adriano Moraes.
After successfully defending the title in March 2015, “Mikinho” lost the belt to Kairat Akhmetov – the then undefeated Kazakh athlete. At that time, Adriano had fallen and felt his dream was over.
In early 2016, he moved from Brazil to Florida to train for the American Top Team. With a new atmosphere and coaching staff, he was able to bounce back which was marked by a win over Eugene Toquero. He went on to win by submission over Tilek Batyrov via rear-naked choke and claim the ONE Flyweight Interim World Title.
Last year, Moraes made history by becoming the first person to knock out Demetrious Johnson, one of the greatest MMA fighters of all time. After that, Moraes also successfully defended his belt from Yuya Wakamatsu at ONE X’s grand event in March.
Now, Moraes will face Demetrious Johnson’s second challenge in the culmination of ONE Fight Night 1: Moraes vs. Johnson II to be broadcast in North America and Canada prime time from the Singapore Indoor Stadium on 27 August 2022.
