Sergio Moraes on UFC 163 opponent: 'A modern MMA athlete without any speciality'

Sergio Moraes doesn’t believe his opponent at tonight’s UFC 163 event is especially skilled in any one area. And that’s precisely why he considers him dangerous.

Moraes (7-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC) meets fellow welterweight Neil Magny (8-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) tonight at Rio de Janeiro’s HSBC Arena in a preliminary-card bout that airs on FX. Magny has just one fight on MMA’s biggest stage, but Moraes knows he’s dangerous.

“I’ve watched him fight,” he told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). “He starts out striking but usually goes for a takedown. He’s a modern MMA athlete without any speciality.

“I think his strong point is the ground. I’m very ready for that.”

Moraes’ Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt and world championships are proof of that. But the fighter, who’s perhaps best known for his runner-up finish on “The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil,” said he’s adding new weapons to his fighting arsenal. He doesn’t want fans labeling him a grappler who’s merely testing the MMA waters.

“Despite being a three-time world jiu-jitsu champion, I left that world behind to concentrate on MMA,” he said.

Since hooking up with the UFC, that decision has produced mixed results. In the “TUF: Brazil” final, he suffered a decision loss to Cezar Ferreira. But he wasn’t necessarily disappointed with the results. For one, he said he simply faced a better fighter that night, and one who got into a comfort zone that Moraes just couldn’t seem to find. But it proved he could hang with a more veteran striker, hold his own, and even put on an crowd-pleasing fight.

“My wish was to improve as an athlete, as a person,” he said. “I was happy because I feel I accomplished that. ‘Mutante’ was the better fighter because he was fighting in his comfort zone, utilizing striking. It was an exciting fight, and that’s why I still got a UFC contract, despite the loss.”

In his second bout, which came this past October, Moraes continued his evolution as a fighter. Hampered by a knee injury that forced a recent surgery, Moraes initially struggled against Renee Forte at UFC 153. He couldn’t find a rhythm and was on his way to an uninspired decision loss. But with a late rally, he secured a rear-naked choke that resulted in his first UFC win. It also marked his sixth submission in seven career wins.

“When I trained for that fight, I was already feeling my knee, and it got worse during the fight,” he said. “I felt it a lot during that fight. I couldn’t fight at 100 percent, and I couldn’t strike properly because I hurt it at the very start. So I spent the fight trying to keep things under control and waiting for my moment to impose my game. And thankfully, that’s exactly what happened.

“Despite being very well trained for the Forte fight, I am even more prepared this time around.”

Now healthy and confident, Moraes said he’s eager to get back in the cage.

“Thank God I am 100 percent this time around, and I cannot wait to come back to the octagon,” he said. “I am very happy with my life right now. We don’t know if this will be a win. Anything can happen, of course. But right now I am very happy, focused and well-prepared.”

For more on UFC 163, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.