Adriano Moraes is a Brazilian flyweight great and former three‑time ONE Championship flyweight titleholder who now steps into a new chapter against Muhammad Mokaev on the inaugural Netflix MMA card in partnership with Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions.
Who Is Adriano Moraes?
Moraes was born in Brasília in 1987 and was abandoned as a baby before being adopted from an orphanage, growing up in a low‑income neighbourhood in Brazil. He started in capoeira as a child and later moved into Brazilian jiu-jitsu as a teenager, laying the base for his grappling‑heavy MMA style.
In September 2014, he choked out Geje Eustaquio to become ONE’s inaugural flyweight champion, beginning a long run near the top of the division. Over the next several years, Moraes traded the belt in rematches with Kairat Akhmetov and Eustaquio but kept returning to the top, eventually recognised as a three‑time ONE flyweight world champion. Grappling has been his main weapon: official records list the majority of his wins by submission, including guillotines, rear‑naked chokes and arm‑triangle finishes over opponents like Danny Kingad, Yuya Wakamatsu and Kosuke Suzuki.
Trilogy with Demetrious Johnson
Adriano Moraes reached wider international attention through his trilogy with Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson. In April 2021 at ONE on TNT 1, he handed Johnson the first stoppage loss of his career with a second‑round knee and punches to retain the flyweight belt. Johnson evened the series in August 2022 with a fourth‑round flying knee at ONE on Prime Video 1, before winning a unanimous decision in their rubber match at ONE Fight Night 10 in May 2023.
After the third Johnson bout, Adriano Moraes rebounded in November 2024 at ONE 169, submitting former title challenger Danny Kingad with a second‑round guillotine, a result that reinforced his status among the leading flyweights outside the UFC. Around this period, reports began to note that he had completed his contract and would be entering free agency following his long tenure with ONE.
Netflix MMA x MVP fight with Mokaev
Moraes is now booked to face unbeaten British contender Muhammad Mokaev on the first Netflix MMA event promoted by Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions, headlined by Ronda Rousey vs Gina Carano on 16 May 2026 at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles. Sky Sports and other outlets describe the card as part of Netflix’s live combat sports push, with Mokaev vs Moraes one of the key MMA bouts on the lineup that also features former UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos.
The matchup pits Mokaev’s youth and UFC experience against Adriano Moraes’ championship résumé from ONE. Mokaev is known for strong wrestling and top control, while Moraes offers veteran grappling, dangerous submissions and five‑round experience from multiple title fights. For Moraes, the Netflix appearance is a chance to introduce his name to a new audience, test himself against a rising contender under a new promotional banner, and show that his years at the top of Asia’s flyweight scene still translate in a high‑profile setting.