Victor Hugo Debuts Against Devhonte Johnson In Openweight Submission Grappling Clash At ONE Fight Night 49
ONE Championship’s submission grappling ranks are about to welcome a pair of the sport’s most physically imposing forces of nature.
Victor Hugo and Devhonte “Bones” Johnson make their promotional debuts in an openweight submission grappling clash at ONE Fight Night 49 on Prime Video, going down live in US primetime on Friday, November 6, from the iconic Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
Hugo arrives in ONE Championship as one of the most accomplished grapplers in the history of the sport. The 29-year-old Brazilian joined fellow ONE Championship athletes Helena Crevar and Pawel Jaworski as a 2026 ADCC World Champion, capturing the coveted +99kg division gold.
Armed with a sterling 125-31-2 professional record and four IBJJF World Championships, the Six Blades Jiu-Jitsu product trains under Xande Ribeiro alongside teammate Rafael Lovato Jr., who already holds a ONE victory over Giancarlo Bodoni at ONE 173. Now, Hugo follows that familiar path onto the world’s biggest grappling stage.
What makes Hugo terrifying is a rare physical paradox perfectly captured by his moniker, “Big Man Flow.” Standing 6-foot-4 and weighing 260 pounds, he moves with the agility and fluidity of a lightweight.
Remarkable flexibility and a nearly impassable open guard make him lethal off his back, threatening with rapid triangles, armbars, and leg entanglements. He proved that proficiency at the 2026 ADCC World Championships, submitting all four opponents from his guard, including Josh Saunders in the gold medal match.
Equally terrifying from top position, the Brazilian maestro uses his massive frame to exert crushing pressure, punishing crossfaces, and relentless submission transitions from mount and side control.
Having conquered both the gi and no-gi circuits and recently announced his retirement from ADCC competition, ONE represents the next and grandest chapter of his career.
Looking to derail that entrance is Johnson, an athletic powerhouse who took an unconventional route to the sport. After excelling in basketball and baseball throughout his youth, the New Jersey native discovered Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu during his senior year of high school and immediately dedicated his life to the mats.
The Bones BJJ and Unity Jiu-Jitsu representative has compiled an impressive 83-46-1 career ledger, headlined by gold-medal triumphs at the 2021 IBJJF No-Gi World Championship, Pan American No-Gi Championship, and European No-Gi Championship.
Johnson brings explosive wrestling and an aggressive motor that pushes opponents to their physical limits. Particularly lethal in transitions, “Bones” hunts for D’arce, anaconda, and guillotine chokes from his strong front headlock game, using speed, athletic aggression, and heavy scrambles to neutralize size advantages.
Where Hugo thrives on instantaneous finishing instincts, Johnson breaks adversaries down through suffocating positional control and aggressive passing. The imposing American prefers calculated dominance over haste, wearing rivals down until they feel entirely helpless.
Stepping onto the biggest stage of his career, Johnson aims to steal Hugo’s thunder and announce himself to the global audience on Friday, November 6.
