Marlon Luiz Moraes is a Mixed Martial Artist from Brazil who plays in the Ultimate Fighting Championship under bantamweight.
Before playing for UFC, Moraes was the World Series of Fighting Bantamweight Champion and kept his title with five consecutive victories.
Also, the first fighter to defeat Jimmie Rivera, he won the Performance of the Night award three times.
The Brazilian native has an angelic smile, but he fights like the devil when he steps into the Octagon. He has won 23 matches out of the 31 matches he has fought in.
Not to mention, he is a black belt in Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu Jutsu as well.
The winner of the 2019 June Fight of the Month is ranked third in the UFC bantamweight rankings as of October 2020.
So before we explore further about the Champion, let’s take a look at the quick facts about him.
Marlon Moraes | Quick Facts
| Full Name | Marlon Luiz Moraes |
| Birth Date | April 26, 1988 |
| Birth Place | Nova Friburgo, Brazil |
| Known As | Marlon Moraes, Moraes |
| Religion | Not available |
| Nationality | Brazilian |
| Ethnicity | Mixed-race Brazilian |
| Education | Not available |
| Horoscope | Taurus |
| Father’s Name | Gualter Moraes |
| Mother’s Name | Terezinha Waldemira Luiz |
| Siblings | Not available |
| Age | 35 years old |
| Height | 5 feet 6 inches (170cm) |
| Weight | 61 Kg (135 lbs) |
| Hair Color | Bald |
| Eye Color | Black |
| Body Measurement | Not Available |
| Figure | Athletic |
| Married | Yes |
| Wife | Izabella Santiago |
| Children | Two sons, Rafael Moraes and Ryan Moraes |
| Profession | Professional Mixed Martial Artist |
| Division | Bantamweight and Featherweight |
| Net Worth | Estimated $2 million |
| Team | Ricardo Almeida BJJ, American Top Team (current) |
| Reach | 170 cm |
| Active Since | 2007 – present |
| Rank | #3 in the UFC bantamweight rankings |
| Social Media | Facebook, Instagram, Twitter |
| Merch | Autographed Items, Book |
| Last Update | March, 2024 |
Marlon Moraes | Early Life, Education, and Family
Moraes was born on April 26, 1988, in Nova Friburgo, Brazil. His father is Gualter Moraes, and his mother’s name is Terezinha Waldemira Luiz.
Similarly, information about whether Moraes has siblings or not is not available yet.
Furthermore, Moraes started martial arts at a very young age. He was only seven years old when he started Muay Thai. Similarly, at the age of 15, he started training for Brazilian Jiu-Jutsu.
Marlon Moraes | Early Career
With all the training he had been receiving since the age of seven, Moraes won the Muay Thai National Championship award in his native country before turning into a full-time Mixed Martial Artist.
Marlon Moraes | Mixed Martial Arts Career
Xtreme Fighting Championships
Further, Moraes fought at XFC 15 on December 2, 2011, and won against Chris Manuel by a unanimous decision.
Likewise, on April 13, 2012, Moraes won the match against Jarrod Card in 47 seconds of the first round at XFC 17 by knock-out.
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World Series of Fighting
The following year in September, the World Series of Fighting offered a deal to Moraes, which he agreed to.
Further on November 3, 2012, Moraes made his promotional debut at WSOF against Miguel Torres. As luck would have it, Moraes won the fight by a split decision.
Similarly, after Moraes’s victory over Torres, it was announced that at WSOF 2, Moraes would fight against Tyson Nam.
Successfully, on March 23, 2013, Moraes achieved victory in the first round over Nam by knock-out due to a combination of head kick and punches.
Similarly, on August 10, 2013, Moraes faced Brandon Hempleman at WSOF 4 and won the match by a unanimous decision.
Furthermore, on October 26, 2013, at WSOF 6. Marlon Moraes fought against Carson Beebe and triumphed in only thirty-two seconds of the first round via knock-out due to punches.
— Marlon Moraes (@MMARLONMORAES) December 16, 2016
At a later date, Moraes fought against Josh Rettinghouse for the inaugural WSOF Bantamweight Championship at WSOF 9.
And as was foreseeable, he won by unanimous decision and became the first-ever WSOF Bantamweight Champion.
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WSOF Bantamweight Championship Defense
Additionally, on September 13, 2014, Moraes was scheduled to fight against Josh Hill at World Series of Fighting 13 to defend his previous title. However, Hill was replaced by Cody Bollinger due to an injury, and the match became a non-title.
Luckily, Moraes won the fight in the second round by rear-naked choke submission.
Later, on February 12, 2015, Moraes fought against Josh Hill in a re-scheduled match to defend his WSOF Bantamweight Championship at WSOF 18 in Edmonton, Alberta.
Unsurprisingly, Moraes won the match by unanimous decision and maintained his WSOF Bantamweight Championship.
In the same way, on August 1, 2015, at WSOF 22, Marlon fought against Sheymon Moraes and won via rear-naked choke submission in the third round, defending his title as a WSOF Bantamweight Champion.
Moreover, on February 20, 2016, at WSOF 28. Moraes faced Joseph Barajas and won the match in the first round by technical knock-out due to leg kicks securing his WSOF Bantamweight Championship for the third time.
Henceforth, on May 10, 2016, an announcement of a rematch between Moraes and Josh Hill was made for the WSOF Bantamweight Championship.
As luck would have it, on July 30, 2016, in the main event at WSOF 32, Moraes won the fight against Hill by knock-out in the second round and kept his WSOF Bantamweight Championship title.
Similarly, on December 31, 2016, Moraes defended his title against Josenaldo Silva. And favorably enough, he won the fight via technical knock-out as a result of Silva receiving a knee injury.
However, on January 3, 2017, Moraes had to surrender the WSOF Bantamweight Championship after becoming an unrestricted free agent.
Ultimate Fighting Championship
Further down the line, it was announced in April 2017 that Moraes had signed with the UFC.
On June 3, 2017, Marlon Moraes made his promotional debut against Raphael Assunção at UFC 212. Unfortunately, he lost the fight by a split decision.
Besides, on November 11, 2017, at UFC Fight Night, 120 Moraes won against John Dodsonwon in the back-and-forth fight by split decision.
It was another consecutive victory for Moraes when he stepped in the ring to replace Rani Yahya against Aljamain Sterling at UFC Fight Night.
Also, Moraes received his very first Performance of the Night bonus award.
Further, the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) put on an alert as Moraes gained more than 10% of his weight after weigh-ins between the weigh-in day and the fight day.
The increase in weight (14%) was over the commission regulations, and the CSAC demanded medical documentation from a licensed physician.
Furthermore, Moraes became the first fighter to beat Rivera in MMA on June 1, 2018, at UFC Fight Night. As a result, he earned his second Performance of the Night bonus award.
Likewise, in a rematch against Raphael Assunção in the main event at UFC Fight Night 144, Moraes lost the match in a split decision.
Nonetheless, Moraes won the second rematch in the first round by knock-out with two punches and a guillotine choke. That night, he received his third Performance of the Night award.
Fights onwards
Later on June 8, 2019, Moraes lost the match by technical knock-out in the third round against Henry Cejudo at UFC 238 for the UFC Bantamweight Championship. Back then, both of the fighters were managed by Ali Abdelaziz.
However, manager Ali didn’t appear outside the cage for the bout and watched the match live at home.
“Somebody’s going to lose, and I don’t want to look them in the eyes. When somebody loses, I want to be with them, I want to hold them, I want to do a lot of things to them. This is what I do. It’s going to be so hard for me. I will get emotional.” -Ali Abdelaziz
Recently, on October 11, 2020, at UFC Fight Night 179, Moraes lost to Cory Sandhagen by technical knock-out in the second round. During the fight, Cory also broke Moraes’ orbital bone.
And right after it, Cory passed the spinning knockout kick that gained him victory.
In addition, Moraes might be fighting against Rob Font on December 19, 2020, at UFC Fight Night 186.
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What’s between Marlon Moraes and Jose Aldo?
Marlon Moraes used to have huge respect for Jose Aldo and had mentioned it numerous times. However, he stated that he lost all respect for the fighter after UFC 245.
“Zero respect, not for him, not for his team, for how they are acting.” -Marlon Moraes
Indeed, Moraes won the match between them and Aldo was also quick to congratulate him for the victory. However, Moraes claimed that he changed his opinion on his win after he heard Henry’s opinion.
Marlon Moraes | Height and Weight
As an MMA and UGC fighter, one should always look after his/her body. Likewise, the father of two has maintained his body and health for every fight.
In addition, Moraes is 5 feet 6 inches (170 cm) tall and weighs 61 kg (135 lbs)
Similarly, he has a set of black eyes with an innocent-looking face even though he fights fiercely.
Diet
Like every athlete, the key part of Moraes’ diet is hydration. Herewith, his everyday mornings start with a glass of lemon water and supplements.
To prepare himself for his hardcore training, his morning breakfast includes eggs, oatmeal, and coffee.
In between the food, Marlon indulges in Thorne’s Amino Complex and a protein shake. For lunch, he munches a salad and lots of vegetables, along with 100 grams of a protein source and 100 grams of a carbohydrate source.
Right after his evening workout, Moraes feeds on a bowl of berries with a slice of bread and peanut butter.
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Marlon Moraes | Personal Life and Marriage
The three times Performance of the Night winner walked down the aisle with Izabella Santiago. However, their wedding date is still unknown to the media.
Together, they have two adorable sons, Rafael – born on September 29, 2014, and Ryan – born on November 8, 2018.
The couple has been together for 12 years and is enjoying every moment with each other.
In fact, Moraes does not shy away from the public to show affection towards his wife and children; rather, he keeps posting pictures and showing them how much he cares.
It seems like the Moraes family currently resides in Palm Beach Gardens, USA, and often spends their time together at the beach.
Additionally, in July 2020, the couple was tested positive for COVID-19. But fortunately enough, both their sons tested negative.
Marlon Moraes | Salary and Net Worth
Marlon Moraes began his MMA career in 2007 and had been performing impressively. He has received several awards, including the three Performance of the Night bonuses. Currently, he has career earnings of $2,298,500.
As of 2024, Moraes has an estimated net worth of 2$ million.
Additionally, as a professional MMA and UFC fighter, he earns $70 thousand to $1.5 million per fight, excluding the bonuses.
What’s more, he earns his extra income via endorsement and promoting Reebok and Thorne products.
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Marlon Moraes | Social Media Presence
Facebook – @MMARLONMORAES – 38k followers
Instagram – @mmarlonmoraes – 178k followers
Twitter – @MMARLONMORAES – 33.3k followers
Commonly Asked Questions
When was Marlon Moraes’s last fight? What is his MMA record like?
Moraes last fight was on December 19, 2020, with Rob Font in Las Vegas, Nevada. However, he lost the fight in the first round due to a knockout.
At present, Moraes features twenty-three wins, eight losses, and a single draw. Among his wins, he has ten by knockout, six submissions, and seven by decision.
Is Marlon Moraes infected with Covid-19?
Currently, Moraes is free of Covid-19. However, he, along with his wife, had tested positive earlier in July.
How many awards has Marlon received?
With his consecutive wins in the UFC Fight Nights, he has won three bonus awards, the WSOF Bantamweight Championship one time, defended the title five times, and the 2019 June Fight of the Month award.
Are Marlon Moraes and Frankie Edgar?
Yes, Frankie Edgar and Marlon Moraes are longtime friends and also training partners.
Which training gym is Marlon Moraes affiliated with?
Marlon Moraes is affiliated with The Armony.
