Marlon Moraes: It’s ‘Time To Win And Earn My Title Shot’

Marlon Moraes will rematch fellow Brazilian Raphael Assuncao in the main event of this weekend’s UFC Fortaleza card.

The rematch will come 18 months after Assuncao welcomed “Magic” to the Octagon with a split decision loss at UFC 212. Since then, Moraes has rolled off three straight wins, each progressively more impressive than the last.

As a matter of fact, Moraes believes he should be on a 17-fight winning streak, and that his first fight with Assuncao was way too close to call.

“It sure didn’t (make it clear who won),” Moraes told Combate in a recent interview. “It was very technical fight, it wasn’t really clear who won. I’m not complaining, I lost and now I have another fight on February 2, that’s my opportunity to make it different. Honestly, if he was fighting for the belt, I couldn’t complain or anything, because he won. Since he isn’t, he will now have to defeat me, which I know he won’t.”

Moraes has found the “Magic” of the old World Series of Fighting days. In his last two fights, he put Aljamain Sterling and Jimmie Rivera to sleep in under two minutes combined.

It seems Moraes has learned his lesson as it comes to leaving it in the judge’s hands.

Marlon Moraes vs. Raphael Assuncao will headline UFC on ESPN+ 2 on February 2, in Fortaleza, Brazil.