Raphael Assuncao vs Marlon Moraes
- By Ratish Menon
- June 03, 2017
Raphael Assuncao vs Marlon Moraes
In what has to be the most anticipated UFC debut of this year so far, former WSOF (World Series Of Fighting) longtime bantamweight kingpin Marlon Moraes is set to enter the UFC Octagon this Saturday night for the first time. And in typical UFC fashion, they aren't throwing him a doozy to start him off with, as he is paired up against no.3 ranked Raphael Assuncao in the main event of the FS1 prelims.
Assuncao is a solid well-rounded fighter, with some high-profile wins over notable names including former champ T J Dillashaw and Alijamain Sterling among others. He also is a veteran and a very composed fighter, fighting in front of his home crowd. Moraes is an excellent striker and will be a stiff test to Assuncao there, but we have seen the UFC jitters to be a real thing with names like Daniel Cormier acknowledging it.
Without the external factors at play, I feel that while Assuncao is coming off a win in what was a razor-close fight against Sterling, he's on a bit of a decline while Moraes truly deserves every bit of the hype he's getting ahead of this fight. A finish looks highly unlikely, but Moraes should be able to edge out Assuncao in a decision.
Prediction: Marlon Moraes wins via decision
