Adriano Moraes is no longer a member of ONE Championship, the former flyweight champion revealed to MMA Fighting. “Mikinho” compiled a MMA record of 12-6 under the promotion’s banner between 2013 and 2025, winning the flyweight belt three times, and entered free agency on March 2.
“Everything has a beginning, a middle, and an end,” Moraes told MMA Fighting. “I believe I had already done everything I could do in ONE Championship. I became champion, defended my belt, put up some good numbers. I have
nothing to complain about, but my contract came to an end, and I informed the organization that I really didn’t want to renew it.”
Moraes last fought in March 2025, when he lost a title rematch to Yuya Wakamatsu, and had no intention to re-sign with the organization. His contract expired in August, but ONE activated a six-month extension before the Brazilian was finally free on Monday.
“I don’t know what they were thinking,” Moraes said of the extension. “It’s hard to know. I never had an easy life there in ONE Championship, especially because one of my main rivals was Demetrious Johnson. He had a backing [in ONE] because of Matt Hume, who is his head coach and was the vice president of the organization, so negotiating was always a bit more complicated, but things always worked out.
“I don’t know why I was given that extension, I didn’t really understand it, but I had to accept it and stay calm. I waited the six months, and now I’m looking for another place to work, to take this last run, this final stretch of my career, and keep being happy doing what I love.”
Moraes fought Johnson three times in Asia, becoming the first man to ever finish “Mighty Mouse” with a violent knockout in April 2021. They rematched a year later, a fight won by Johnson by knockout, and the former UFC flyweight king won the trilogy via decision in 2023.
Moraes plans on competing at 125 pounds, a weight he hasn’t made since ONE Championship changed its weigh-in rules to ban dehydration. ONE flyweights compete at 135 pounds.
“I’m not a heavy athlete,” Moraes said. “I was fighting at 135, but my normal weight is 147 pounds. So I believe I’m still close to the flyweight limit. I think I can make the weight. I want to try fighting at flyweight to see how I feel.”
Moraes has yet to engage in negotiations with other organizations, but believes he can go straight to the UFC despite the fact he has lost his most recent bout. “Mikinho” said he’s ready to enter a cage or ring “by the end of the month” if a good offer comes.
“If a fight falls through at UFC [327 in] Miami next month, I’m here. Just give me a call,” Moraes said. “I believe that, with my potential, I can be part of the UFC roster, especially since I train with [Alexandre] Pantoja and Kyoji Horiguchi. They’ve been my training partners for several years at American Top Team. I’m preparing myself, training with the best as always, to fight the best. We’re here to put on great fights.”
