Demetrious Johnson booked to return opposite ONE flyweight champion Adriano Moraes

Former UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson is slated to return to the ONE Championship Circle opposite Adriano Moraes, the promotion’s reigning ONE flyweight champ.

The bout, which is slated for February 24, was announced during Friday’s ONE: Big Bang broadcast.

Save the date! Demetrious Johnson is BACK on 24 February against ONE Flyweight World Champion Adriano Moraes 👑 @MightyMouse @adrianomkmoraes #ONEBigBang #WeAreONE #ONEChampionship pic.twitter.com/w4XWtndU82

— ONE Championship (@ONEChampionship) December 4, 2020

Moraes and Johnson were originally expected to collide in Jakarta, Indonesia earlier this year, but the bout fell through due to the coronavirus pandemic. Now that ONE Championship has resumed regular operations, it’s been rescheduled.

Demetrious Johnson earned his crack at Moraes by winning the 2019 ONE Lightweight World Grand Prix with a trio of impressive victories. First, he submitted Japanese knockout artist Yuya Wakamatsu—who is now closing in on top contender status himself. Next, he took out Japanese veteran Tatsumitsu Wada by decision. Finally, he picked up a decision win over Team Lakay staple Danny Kingad to win it all.

Prior to those three fights, Johnson lost a controversial decision to Henry Cejudo, which marked the end of his 11-fight reign as the UFC flyweight champion. After that fight, he was traded to ONE Championship in exchange for Ben Askren.

Adriano Moraes, meanwhile, captured the ONE flyweight title in January, 2019, when he picked up a decision win over his long-time rival, Geje Eustaquio. The Brazilian, who trains at American Top Team in South Florida and is one of the best BJJ specialists in ONE Championship, also holds victories over the likes of Kingad, former ONE flyweight champion Kairat Akhmetov, and former UFC flyweight contender Yasuhiro Urushitani.

Do you think Demetrious Johnson will capture the ONE Championship flyweight belt this February, or are we in for a major upset courtesy of the reigning champion Adriano Moraes?