UFC 212 results: Raphael Assuncao snaps Marlon Moraes’ 13-fight win streak, spoils UFC debut

RIO DE JANEIRO – In a fight decided by the smallest of differences between two evenly matched fighters, Raphael Assuncao did just enough to spoil Marlon Moraes’ UFC debut.

After rocking Moraes (18-5-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC) early and struggling to keep up with him late, Assuncao (25-5 MMA, 9-2 UFC) got the nod from two of the three judges, earning a split-decision victory over the former WSOF bantamweight champ.

The bantamweight bout closed today’s UFC 212 preliminary card at Jeunesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro. It aired on FS1 following the UFC Fight Pass early prelims and prior to the pay-per-view main card.

While it should have been no surprise that Assuncao proved to be a difficult first opponent for Moraes’ UFC tenure, few likely expected him to start as strong as he did. A pair of stiff right hands from Assuncao had Moraes on wobbly legs in the first round, putting the debuting fighter in a hole on the scorecards early.

To his credit, Moraes did a fine job of collecting himself between rounds and turning things around in the second, but he struggled to mount any sustained offense against the frustrating Assuncao. Even when his body kicks or his counter left hook landed well and with force, Assuncao absorbed them without even changing his facial expression.

In the third, when Moraes showed a little more awareness of the judges at cageside by trying for a takedown attempt, he was stymied by Assuncao’s defense. He made a visible effort to increase his pace and his aggression late in the round, perhaps sensing a close fight on the scorecards, but Assuncao yielded little ground even as his own output began to slow.

That made for a difficult call for the judges, two of whom handed the fight to Assuncao, who notched the victory with scores of 28-29, 29-28, and 30-27.

Assuncao has now won two straight in the UFC. Moraes loses for the first time since 2011, snapping a 13-fight winning streak.

Up-to-the-minute results include:

• Raphael Assuncao def. Marlon Moraes via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 30-27)
• Antonio Carlos Junior def. Eric Spicely via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 3:49
• Matthew Lopez def. Johnny Eduardo via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 2:57
• Brian Kelleher def. Iuri Alcantara via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 1, 1:48
• Viviane Pereira def. Jamie Moyle via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
• Luan Chagas def. Jim Wallhead vis submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 4:48
• Deiveson Alcantara def. Marco Beltran via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 5:00

For more on UFC 212, check out the UFC Events section of the site.

(MMAjunkie’s John Morgan and Fernanda Prates contributed to this report on site in Rio de Janeiro.)