Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson might be 100 percent focused on his second bid to become the ONE Flyweight World Champion when he takes on Adriano “Mikinho” Moraes at ONE Fight Night 1 on 27 August, but that doesn’t mean he’s not interested in what’s happening around him.
The 12-time Mixed Martial Arts World Champion is just as excited to see how the two main fights at ONE 160: Ok vs. Lee II on 26 August will play out, given that both matches are basically toss-ups.
ONE Lightweight World Champion Ok Rae Yoon takes on Christian Lee in the main event of the evening in a match that could finally end the controversy surrounding their initial bout, which ended in the South Korean’s favor.
While a lot of people disputed the decision, Johnson said he gets how Ok won the first match.
“Obviously, Christian Lee had an advantage on the ground because Ok didn’t want to be there. But Ok did a good job of getting up, and then once he got up, he put the pressure on Christian,” Johnson said.
“So, we’ll have to see. Christian almost had him finished a couple of times when he had his back.”
Johnson’s looking at the clash merely from his perspective, noting that he’s not a professional judge but a fighter who thoroughly enjoys observing from the outside.
“It’s so subjective. So, that’s why for me, I sit there, I watch it with my gut,” he said.
“That’s how I view it. Not [as] a judge, but I get to judge with my own criteria. Whether the judges like it or anybody else out there, I say once again, it’s so subjective.”
Johnson also commented on the co-main event bout between ONE Featherweight World Champion Thanh Le and Chinese powerhouse Tang Kai.
“Mighty Mouse” also sees this fight as a toss-up, noting the contrast between Le’s movement and Tang’s constant pressure, and thinks whoever imposes their game plan best will get the upper hand.
“Thanh Le moves way better back and forth, in and out with his karate background. And I’d say that the Chinese gentleman, he’s a little tighter, you know, comes forward a little bit, but tighter. [He throws] a little more volume than Thanh Le does,” he said.
“Thanh Le has volume, but his volume is way more powerful. Where I feel like the other gentleman, he’s like, pop, pop, pop – like what I’ve seen in his previous fight. But if I had to pick, any of those guys can win that fight.”
Catch ONE 160 live on One Sports and One Sports+ at 7:30 p.m. Philippine Standard Time (PHT) on Friday, 26 August. The main card will follow on One Sports and One Sports+ at 8:30 p.m. PHT.
The morning after, ONE Fight Night 1: Moraes vs. Johnson II will air live on One Sports and One Sports+ starting with the lead card at 8:00 AM Philippine Standard Time (PHT) on Saturday, 27 August. The main card will follow on One Sports and One Sports+ at 10:00 AM PHT.
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