Marlon Moraes announced his retirement from MMA on June 8, 2023, following another knockout loss to Gabriel Braga at PFL 4. Moraes leaves the sport with a record of 23-12-1 and he is considered one of the most exciting fighters of his generation.
The great, and always classy, Marlon Moraes has called it a career pic.twitter.com/qvrBGr2NKN
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) June 9, 2023
Moraes began his MMA career in 2011, and he quickly rose through the ranks. He won his first 17 fights, and he earned a reputation as a knockout artist. In 2015, Moraes signed with the UFC, and he quickly made an impact. He won his first four fights in the UFC, and he was considered a contender for the UFC bantamweight title.
In 2017, Moraes faced Henry Cejudo for the UFC bantamweight title. Moraes lost the fight by unanimous decision, but he put on a strong performance. He landed some heavy shots on Cejudo, and he showed that he belonged at the top of the division.
Moraes continued to fight in the UFC, but he struggled to find consistent success. He won three of his next six fights, and he eventually retired from MMA before he unretired and then signed with the PFL, but he lost his first two fights in the promotion.
Let’s take a look at some of Moraes’ best moments in his MMA career.
Marlon Moraes submitting Raphael Assuncao
Moraes entered the fight against Raphael Assuncao as the underdog. Assuncao was coming off a win over Rob Font, and he was considered one of the best bantamweights in the world. However, Moraes put on a dominant performance and dropped Assuncao, and then submitted him in the first round. The win put Moraes in the conversation for a title shot.
Marlon Moraes closes the show with redemption against Raphael Assuncao #UFCFortaleza pic.twitter.com/gkKX0hwosx
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) February 3, 2019
Marlon Moraes knocked out the bantamweight champ Aljamain Sterling
Moraes’ knockout of Aljamain Sterling was his second to last in the UFC. Sterling was coming off a win over Renan Barao, and he was considered one of the top contenders in the UFC bantamweight division. However, Moraes knocked Sterling out in the first round and earned a Performance of the Night bonus.
Moraes’ knockout of Sterling was a devastating blow. He landed a left head kick that knocked Sterling out cold. Sterling fell to the ground and was unconscious for several minutes. The referee stopped the fight, and Moraes was declared the winner by knockout.
5 years ago today, Marlon Moraes knocked out Aljamain Sterling in 67 seconds
https://t.co/0zOXU9VReN— MMA Mania (@mmamania) December 9, 2022
Moraes’ knockout of Sterling was a reminder of his power and his ability to finish fights. He was a thrilling fighter to watch, and he will be missed in the sport. He leaves behind a legacy as one of the most exciting fighters of his generation.
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