Moraes pokes Usman, says fight to determine division's best grappler will be between himself and Maia

SAO PAULO – In his active pursuit of welterweight contender Demian Maia, it seems like Kamaru Usman rubbed another 170-pounder the wrong way.

While Maia (24-6 MMA, 18-6 UFC) stuck to some subtle twitter shade in light of the callouts, Sergio Moraes (11-2-1 MMA, 5-1-1 UFC) was a little less discrete in showing his dissatisfaction with fellow UFC Fight Fight 100 winner Usman (9-1 MMA, 4-0 UFC) – who was, incidentally, sitting next to him at Saturday’s post-fight news conference.

Asked whether “the guy on his right” could be his next opponent, Moraes didn’t answer directly, but brought up that it was Usman who once had to drop out of a previously scheduled bout between them.

“I have Demian as an example,” Moraes said. “A lot of people say I call him out. I don’t call him out. I say Demian is right up there and, for me, he could be fighting for the belt already. But it’s a matchup that if I continue winning, fans will want to know who’s the best ground (fighter) in the division.

“We’re from two different times in jiu-jitsu. Demian is an Abu Dhabi champion and I’m a three-time world champion and the fans will want to know that.

“Kamaru Usman and I already had a fight scheduled and I wasn’t the one who had to drop out, he did because of an injury. The same with Peter Sobotta, and he was the one who had to withdraw with injury. I think it’s unfair that they fight ahead of me, that they ask for an opponent ahead of me.”

Moraes beat Zak Ottow (14-4 MMA, 1-1 UFC) via split decision on a welterweight bout that opened up the main card of Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 100 event at Ibirapuera Gymnasium in Sao Paulo. It aired on FS1 following early prelims on UFC Fight Pass.

The Brazilian welterweight also threw a jab at colleagues who he thinks talk themselves up without backing up their claims. Since he did not give any names, it was unclear whether he was referring to Usman’s statements about being the best grappler in the division.

“I think the UFC is becoming kind of a circus with a lot of fighters saying ‘I’m the best,’” Moraes said. “You’re not, it’s not how it goes, you need to prove yourself in there. A bunch of people say ‘I have the best ground game.’ They don’t. I have three world titles in jiu-jitsu. Which other grappler has a better history than I do in jiu-jitsu, in grappling, in the division? I speak with my history, not with my words. ‘I’m the best.’ I show it. ”

Moraes also spoke about the disappointment with both his display against Ottow – which he thinks may have had something to do with fighting in front of his Sao Paulo home crowd – and a previous draw against promotional newcomer Luan Chagas at UFC 198.

As displeased as he is with what he’s shown recently, Moraes is unbeaten as a welterweight, holding a four-fight streak between the draw and his lone octagon setback – a 2012 decision to Cezar Mutante for “The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil” middleweight crown.

Proud of his departure from a “jiu-jitsu fighter who fought MMA sporadically,” the grappling ace thinks he has what it takes to reach 170-pound gold.

“I was upset with my performance,” Moraes said. “I know what I’m capable of. I have no losses in my weight class and I’ll stay this way until I’m champion.

“Thankfully, even having a bad day, I was able to win. I know if I can impose my game up there, I’ll be champion, and there’s no one in the division who can stop me.”

For complete coverage of UFC Fight Night 100, check out the UFC Events section of the site.