When ONE Championship makes its U.S. debut on May 5 in Broomfield, Colorado, the athletes must deal with the mile-high elevation. It will be an added element into the preparation athletes have to be aware of, and Demetrious Johnson is already taking it into account. “Mighty Mouse” will be defending the ONE Flyweight World Championship against Adriano Moraes at ONE on Prime Video 10.
Johnson is still deciding if he should go to Colorado early to acclimate to the conditions. Johnson does have experience competing at altitude. In 2010, Johnson got a win in Broomfield at WEC 51. Twelve years later, he is still at the top of the game. But before he makes the decision on how to factor in the conditions, Johnson will return to Arizona to help out an old rival.
“I’m going back out to Arizona to get ready for my fight and do my pre-camp with Henry [Cejudo]. After that, I’m going to sit down with the wife and do two weeks out there and see if it makes a difference,” Johnson told ONE.
Regardless of the decision to head to Colorado early, Johnson will be prepared to go the distance. “Mighty Mouse” has been known for his tireless cardio throughout his career, and as he has matured, he understands how to manage his energy inside the Circle. Johnson believes the combination of hard work and understanding how to control his output will allow him to be at his best regardless of the elevation.
But there is another added element that has the all-time great’s attention. Moraes is known for his bounce-back ability. Each time Moraes has lost the ONE Flyweight World Title, he has returned and recaptured the gold, which includes a trilogy against Geje Eustaquio. Moraes’ experience with a trilogy and his ability to always return better than before is the biggest factor that Johnson is eyeing.
#ONEonPrimeVideo1: Demetrious Johnson KOs Adriano Moraes to capture ONE flyweight title https://t.co/rV2irWgkmf pic.twitter.com/G72Mnm2mbH
— Fighters Only (@FightersOnly) August 27, 2022
“Now, being 36, I understand how to fight and how to pace myself while pushing the pace. We haven’t crossed that bridge yet. I’m still trying to figure it out, [but] I’m not too worried about it. I’m gonna train my ass off and go out there and fight,” said Johnson.
“You look at Geje Eustaquio and Kairat Akhmetov. [Moraes is] used to this. He’s used to losing the belt and then getting the opportunity to get it back – and he usually gets it back. He’s been here before and that’s the biggest thing that I see.”
Stay tuned for more updates on ONE on Prime Video 10: Johnson vs. Moraes III right here at MMASucka.com. Fans can sign-up for priority access to tickets by visiting this link.
