While most free agents — who just happen to be former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) employees — are heading over to Bellator MMA, there are still some that are trying to fight there way to the Octagon.
Chief among them is Marlon Moraes, the former World Series of Fighting (WSOF) Bantamweight champion who fought out his contract and is eyeing a deal with the UFC.
"We’re trying to get the right thing, everything right. But, of course, I wanna to go the UFC,” Moraes said on Monday’s edition of The MMA Hour via MMA Fighting "It’s a dream. We’re working, man. I’m training like I have a fight, I’m getting better every day, and it’s just a matter of time to have the right date.”
Moraes is currently riding a 13-fight win streak — including five consecutive title defenses — and hasn’t tasted defeat since 2011. His last win came against Josenaldo Silva on Dec. 31, 2016 at WSOF 34. Though he doesn’t have a contract, much less a fight set up, Marlon says he is training in order to accept a bout at the drop of a hat.
"I don’t have a contract, I’m still a free agent. I don’t have a date, I don’t have a bout agreement, so I’m training like I’m fighting in two weeks, three weeks. I wanna keep a good shape so if I get a call from anybody I’m ready."
The addition of Moraes would be huge for UFC and add depth to a roster that includes the likes of current division champion Cody Garbrandt, Dominick Cruz, T.J. Dillashaw, just to name a few.
According to a very confident Moraes, some fighters are getting nervous just knowing that he could ink a deal soon.
"I just feel the fighters now, they started get nervous,” Moraes said. "They see its getting close, close to see that name and the date. I don’t know. I feel like I started to bother some guys. Even in the UFC, man."
"I’m not exclusively talking about anyone,” he continued. "I just feel like some of the guys… If you’re in a major promotion like the UFC, you should be able to fight whatever they offer. I’m never gonna pick opponents. Whatever the UFC says, or (other) promotion says, I’m gonna say yes. If you’re there, you gotta fight whoever they think you have to fight.”