Former World Series Of Fighting Bantamweight Champion Marlon Moraes is making his UFC debut against Raphael Assuncao at UFC 212.
Despite being a champion in another promotion, the fighter isn’t looking for any shortcuts on the road to the UFC Bantamweight Title.
"As an athlete, I must be aware that I need to fight as many times as it takes, I can't be worried about shortcuts to the belt. I want to earn my title shot. A lot of people say that you need to not only win, but to sell your fights in order to earn a title shot these days. I think these things come hand in hand. I'll get there and see what I can do and I'm sure one day I'll have my shot, but I'm not in a hurry,” Moraes said to Porto Do Vale Tudo.
Moraes didn’t just leave the WSOF as the bantamweight champion, and was the first bantamweight champion in the promotion's history.
The Brazilian also reveals that he was almost a part of the UFC Ultimate Fighter Brazil cast before his time in the WSOF.
"We tend to always look for a quick way to our goals. When we want something, we want it now. We don't understand God's master plan. I came really close to entering the UFC. I almost got in the first TUF Brazil, but thank God I didn't. At the time, I was sad and upset for not getting in. I wanted to and I came really close. But after that came the chance to fight at WSOF and that's where I began to grow. I became champion and made some dreams come true. I could help my family. Then the UFC started to become a real possibility again, but I kept on defending my belt and I'm sure that was all a preparation so I could arrive in the UFC at the right time, more ready than ever,” says Moraes.
UFC 212 takes place on Saturday, June 3 from the HSBC Arena in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil with Jose Aldo and Max Holloway headlining. Fightful is providing live coverage of the event, with a post-show podcast to follow.
