Free agent WSOF champ Marlon Moraes 'motivated' by Garbrandt vs. Cruz: 'I saw that I'm at that level'

Four years and 11 fights at WSOF later, bantamweight champion Marlon Moraes is officially back on the market.

After defending his belt for the fifth time at Dec. 31’s WSOF 34, Moraes (18-4-1) is still waiting on the offers to roll in. But the No. 6-ranked fighter in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA bantamweight rankings has completed his current deal with WSOF and now has a simple desire moving forward.

“My idea is to fight the best and be valued for that,” Moraes told MMAjunkie. “I have what it takes to fight the best, I’m absolutely certain.

“Let’s see what we’re going to do. I’m excited, and I hope good offers arrive.”

As it stands, Moraes can’t tell for sure where he’s going to be fighting next. But, aiming toward the leading 135-pounders in the world, he has no doubt about where they are.

“The best are in the UFC,” Moraes said. “It doesn’t take an MMA expert to say that. Certainly, the best are there. But let’s see, let’s see if a good offer comes along and we can fight them and see what I can do. Because I’m sure I can arrive there in impressive fashion – not just there, but in any event, against any athlete in my division.”

Whether the octagon ends up being his final destination or not, he’s certainly been keeping an eye on the competition. In fact, on Dec. 30, just one day before his own scrap, he not only watched as UFC 207’s co-headliner between Dominick Cruz and new champ Cody Garbrandt unfolded but felt particularly inspired by it.

“It was a very good fight, with an extremely high technical level,” Moraes said. “It was the day before my fight, and it was good. It really motivated me. And I saw that I’m at that level. It got me very happy and confident for my fight.”

And his assessment of the new champ’s performance?

“I thought Cody fought very well,” Moraes said. “He’s a very tough athlete, very good. That’s it, he’s good, but not invincible.”

Moraes’ free agency was already a highly-talked about subject right after his second fight with Josh Hill back in August. At the occasion, the bantamweight champ’s WSOF contract had already come an end, leading to speculation as to where he’d go next.

Moraes, who ended up re-signing for one more fight in order to compete at the promotion’s monster year-end card at The Theater at Madison Square Garden, says he got a few proposals at the time. But still doesn’t regret his decision to ink a new deal.

“We had offers from other events, and from other countries,” Moraes said. “U.S., Russia, but the WSOF offer was very good and we chose to accept it. I was very happy with the outcome. I believe I managed to improve my value, and I came out of this last fight in my contract even more valued.”

The champ was matched up against promotional newcomer and fellow countryman Josenaldo Silva, who was unable to continue the title fight at the 2:30 mark of the opening round due to a knee injury. The stoppage wasn’t exactly Moraes’ ideal ending, but, victorious nonetheless, he accomplished his job.

And, in any case, he doesn’t think the outcome would have been a lot different had it gone on longer.

“I wanted it to end the same way everyone else would have liked it to: a knockout,” Moraes said. “A real knockout, not a technical knockout. But I went in there prepared to come out with the win. I did, and I was happy with the result. We never want our opponents to get hurt, but unfortunately he got injured during a scramble and that was part of the fight.

“He certainly wouldn’t have gotten hurt if he was just walking down the street, he got hurt because he was fighting. It’s a contact sport, and unfortunately, the opponent getting injured means we’re performing our job well.

“I was dominating. I was overmatching him – and in the striking department, which we expected ‘Naldo’ to come out very strong in. I didn’t feel any difficulty. I felt very fast, a lot stronger, and I think the fight was heading toward another win.”

Moraes has long been a fixture in most best-fighters-outside-the-UFC lists. And, currently on a 13-win, eight-finish streak that dates back to 2011, he has no doubts as to where he stands among the world’s leading bantamweights. That’s why, wherever he ends up, Moraes believes he may land in No. 1 contender position.

“I am in the top-5, and being in the top-5 puts you in a position to be a challenger in any event,” Moraes said. “Because the top-5 athletes, only two of them fight for the belt. So if one just fought and lost, or the other is a challenger but may get hurt.

“So this puts you in a situation where you’re already up there and yes, I see myself up there.”

Motivated as ever, Moraes is already back at the gym. And has a not-so-friendly warning to those who are “up there” next to him.

“I’m already back at training,” Moraes said. “I started preparing myself. That’s a message that I’d like to send for the athletes in this division at other promotions: that I’ve started. I’m preparing myself and I think it would be good for them to prepare too, because I’m arriving prepared and ready to win.”

At 28, Moraes has already accomplished a lot. So what is it that he still has his eyes on moving forward?

“I’m from a small town (Nova Friburgo),” Moraes said. “I want to represent my city, the people there. I want to keep fighting for them. I want them to still have an athlete at a big event. I want them to be able to watch the fights, and to root for it, to bring joy to my family, and also to be the best.

“I have a goal of being the best, and I’m going to keep fighting until I get there.”

For more on the WSOF’s upcoming schedule, check out the MMA Rumors section of the site.