Demetrious Johnson-Adriano Moraes Trilogy Fight To Headline ONE Championship's US Debut

ONE Championship is officially set to hold its first-ever live event on U.S. soil when they bring their stable of fighters to 1stBank Center in Broomfield, Colorado on Friday, May 5, and its headlining fight is to conclude a feud that has featured two highlight-reel knockouts.

The card is surely going to be a must-watch for fans as it will also mark the homecoming fight of ONE flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson in his first match in the country since his UFC flyweight title bout against then-rising star Henry Cejudo on August 4, 2018.

His opponent at ONE on Prime Video 10 will be former ONE flyweight king Adriano Moraes.

Moraes defeated Johnson by knockout in the second round of their first encounter in April 2021 before the latter got his revenge this past August with a flying knee knockout in round four.

ONE Championship CEO Chatri Sityodtong had hinted during the ONE on Prime Video 5 press conference last Wednesday, November 30 to International Business Times sports editor and combat sports analyst Nissi Icasiano that the promotion was not simply doing its best, but that they "will announce in the next few days the exact venue, location".

Icasiano then asked Chatri what the promotion's concessions will be when going to the U.S. for this card and the Thailand-born executive gave a lengthy statement that appear to suggest that the Colorado Office of Combat Sports will be open to the promotion bringing its rules to the U.S.

"Our team, under [ONE VP of Operations] Matt Hume and Rich Franklin in the U.S., have been talking to all the different state athletic commissions to get our global ruleset, our hydration system... We have the healthiest [athletes] and the best medical process bar none, and of course, our judging criteria as well," Chatri mentioned.

"This is good for athletes in general. Why would you want to subject your athletes to cut 20 pounds of water weight, dehydrate their organs, put their lives at risk? It's archaic. We have the very best ruleset; the best medical system and we plan to revolutionize America as we have all over the world."

Chatri also alluded in a later question by Icasiano that the push for the Singapore-based combat sports outfit to have a live event in the U.S. is to reach an even greater market–with about 200 million Amazon Prime subscribers.

With such a momentous occasion in line for ONE Championship, fight fans can expect them to fill out the card with big-name competitors to show off its diverse roster of Muay Thai, kickboxing and submission grappling athletes.