Saturday’s fight night in Fortaleza will be a showcase for the past, present, and future of Brazilian MMA.
Representing in the here and now are headlining bantamweight contenders Raphael Assuncao and Marlon Moraes. This will be a rematch of their June 2017 encounter that Moraes narrowly won by split decision. Since then both Brazilians have been on a tear, with Moraes looking particularly ferocious having finished his last two opponents by knockout in a combined one minute and 40 seconds. Whether it’s Moraes avenging his lone UFC loss or Assuncao fending him off again, tomorrow’s winner is all but guaranteed a bantamweight title shot in the near future.