After WSOF contract, champ Marlon Moraes happy to be making 'good money with people who trust me'

For a couple of months, WSOF bantamweight champ Marlon Moraes was one of the hottest free agents in MMA.

After fulfilling his WSOF contract in July with a second win over Josh Hill – his 12th consecutive triumph on a run that dates back to 2011 – Moraes’ future seemed anything but certain. Would his fourth title defense be the last in his four-year stay with the promotion, most of which spent an incredibly dominant champion?

It, we now know, wasn’t. After weeks of suspense, Moraes announced a new deal with the organization and an upcoming appearance on their mega end-of-year card in New York City.

It’s a decision that Moraes says he is absolutely happy with. But one that, he admits, wasn’t necessarily easy.

“I got such a nice treatment from WSOF,” Moraes told MMAjunkie. “We had a good meeting, they really showed that they like me and how much they wanted me to be on this December 31 event – as an athlete, as everything. The guys know my family, my son, my wife, they know their names.

“It was a difficult decision, I’ll confess, but it wasn’t what I’d thought – they didn’t try too hard, they just said the truth and I agreed with them in many things and decided to take this bet and try this path.”

Currently ranked No. 5 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA bantamweight rankings, Moraes is unanimously placed among the top 135-pounders in the world. That’s why, once his last deal was up, speculations naturally arose as to whether other promotions had reached out.

Without citing specific names, Moraes said that yes, he “listened to other offers” during the time he was on the market. But, ultimately, chose to go with the call that not only made financial sense, but resonated with him on a personal level.

“We took this time to listen to other offers and check out the market,” Moraes said. “Many things are happening in MMA, in other events, a lot of changes, so right now I think it was the best decision. We thought about it for a while.

“I think we made the best decision to stay with WSOF, and take part in this grandiose event. I thought about my family, as well, and the opportunity of staying at a good event, making good money and with people who trust me, who really want to have me.”

“There are other ways to prove how good you are”

Moraes’ decision comes at a time when a handful of other fighters have been expressing their dissatisfaction with the industry leader. One recent example is UFC interim featherweight champion Jose Aldo, who has been threatening to end his current contract (and MMA career) due to what he believes was unjust treatment.

Asked whether the sees a shift in the general MMA scenario, however, Moraes still believes that the octagon remains the career path a lot of fighters envision for themselves.

It’s simply, the way he sees it, not the only one.

“Many people still have that dream (of being in the UFC),” Moraes said. “But I think there are other ways to prove how good you are in other events. And man, the most important: you’re fighting for an event happily, and enjoying the respect the event gives to fighters, like I get from WSOF.

“Ray Sefo (WSOF President) was a fighter and he knows what a fighter’s life is like. It’s guys who I know will always be there. In other events, you’re constantly under pressure. I feel good, I fight well there, they’re always bringing opponents, always looking for challenges.”

The next challenge, of course, is WSOF 34, when Moraes (17-4) will look to defend his belt for the fifth time – now against promotional newcomer and fellow countryman Josenaldo “Naldo” Silva (25-4). Though relatively unknown to international audiences, Silva brings in an undefeated streak of his own, with 17 triumphs since September of 2011, and a Jungle Fight belt.

Excited to be one of four champions putting his belt on the line, Moraes also has high expectations for his own battle.

“I started training when I was nine years old, and my dream has always been to be a fighter and be in big events,” Moraes said. “So this is a dream come true. Fighting in a great city, in a great event.

“(Silva) is a very tough athlete. He’s not that well-known here in the United States but in Brazil he’s beaten a lot of people, he’s on an amazing streak. It’s a very tough fight, he’s a great striker, like myself, so this fight has the makings of a war, and probably one of the fights of the year.”

Headlined by champ Justin Gaethje and challenger Joao Zeferino, WSOF 34 takes place Dec. 31 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The main card airs on NBC, beginning at 4 p.m. ET (1 p.m. PT), following prelims on NBCSN and MMAjunkie.

A dream of fighting in Brazil again

As happy as he is with his current arrangement, there’s one thing that WSOF still can’t offer Moraes: a fight in his home country.

“This is something I really miss – I really miss it a lot,” Moraes said. “It’s a dream and I am certain that one day I’ll fight in Brazil again. I really want to fight there. And I hope it doesn’t take too long because I like fighting in Brazil, I want to fight for the Brazilian audience.

“I had the opportunity to fight in Sao Paulo in 2010, in an event with eight, or five thousand people, and it was incredible. Can you imagine fighting, like these guys have, in front of 20 thousand people? Or like it was in Curitiba, 40 thousand? It must be absolutely amazing.

“Who knows, maybe we can make WSOF Brazil happen one day?”

There is, of course, the unavoidable question: while Moraes is one of the best bantamweights in the world, it could be argued that he has yet to face some of his other top-tier competition – like UFC champion Dominick Cruz, or even former titleholder T.J. Dillashaw.

On his end, Moraes feels absolutely qualified to go toe-to-toe with any of them. And, in case anyone wants proof, he suggests an ideal scenario that wouldn’t even involve contract terminations.

“In boxing, the best fights are promoted regardless of event, there’s not this thing in which the guy is stuck to an event and can’t fight people outside of it,” Moraes said. “These are the best fights. I see it in the future – maybe a dream of making this fight a reality, these fights that many people dream about and wonder about what will happen.

“It’s nice to be involved in those conversations and hear my name from people who have faith in me. But I, for sure have a lot more faith in myself than them. I see myself prepared to do a great fight against any of these athletes in the top-5 in the world, it’s just a matter of opportunity.”

As for challenging himself inside his current organization, but in other weight divisions, Moraes says it’s a possibility that has been considered but, for the time being, discarded.

So, after what he has already accomplished at 28 and having plowed through most of his opponents, what drives Moraes to keep going?

“I like fighting, man,” Moraes said. “I like fighting. I have friends who like to go out and pick fights on the streets. That’s not cool, but they’re addicted, they like it. Me? I like fighting. It if it was up to me, I’d fight every weekend.

“Regardless of events, of belts, I like fighting. I’m addicted to fighting. I like challenges and I’ll keep on fighting. For me, unlike many others, money is not the motivation. Many people talk a lot of crap. For me, that’s not the main goal. The main goal is to fight, to stay active. As long as I’m healthy, I’ll keep going into the cage and giving it my best.”

For more on WSOF 34, check out the MMA Rumors section of the site.