Marlon Moraes‘ retirement, as most often are in mixed martial arts, was short-lived.
The 34-year-old former UFC bantamweight title challenger, who hung up the gloves just five months ago, announced yesterday that he’d inked a deal with PFL to compete in the promotion’s 2023 season. The deal was first reported on Thursday by MMA Fighting‘s Damon Martin.
In signifies a return home for Moraes, who cut his teeth in the World Series of Fighting, the first iteration of what is now the PFL. He will join fellow UFC vets and recent signees Shane Burgos and Thiago Santos in the pursuit of a $1-million paycheck.
Moraes’ most recent bout came opposite Song Yadong at UFC Vegas 50 which resulted in a first-round knockout loss, his fourth straight loss by by KO/TKO.
The AllStar MMA roundup
- Exclusive: Bellator signs King of Pancrase Masayuki Kikuiri to an exclusive deal
- Inside Scoop: Shane Burgos: Why I left the UFC for the PFL
- Inside Scoop: How to get MMA fights: An insider’s guide for fighters
- UFC Vegas 61: Trevin Jones splitting time at Bangtao MMA and Tiger Muay Thai ahead of return injury free
The best of the rest
- Terrance McKinney calls for The Rock to ‘get in our corner’ after UFC inks shoe deal: ‘Support us’ – MMAFighting.com
- Melvin Manhoef considering retirement after Bellator 285: ‘It’s painful to quit’ – MMAJunkie.com
- Dan Hooker takes aim at ‘f*cking idiot’ and ‘little rat’ Colby Covington, says UFC hides him in Las Vegas – MMAJunkie.com
- Beneil Dariush reveals he’s expected to serve as backup to Charles Oliveira vs. Islam Makhachev at UFC 280 – MMAFighting.com
- ‘If we pull this off, it will be a miracle’: Inside the 14 hours that saved UFC 279 – ESPN.com
The soapbox
Khabib or Ali Abdelaziz:
Iron Mike clocks Durinho:
All Terrance McKinney wants for his B-day is a fist fight:
Kai Kara France was impressed with Junior Tafa’s third KO in as many months:
Alex Pereira is a multi-faceted man:
T-wrecks flames YouTuber KSI:
The morning view
The AllStar’s Propping You Up has you covered for your UFC Vegas 60 punts:
The Weasle breaks down the details in the controversial Rodriguez vs Li decision:
Uncle Chael makes an appearance on the Room Service Diaries couch:
MMA On Point breaks down why we’ll see Nate Diaz in the UFC again:
Done deals
Friday:
- Bryce Mitchell to fight Movsar Evloev at UFC Vegas 64 on November 5th (per David Van Auken)
- Erik Silva to fight TJ Brown at UFC 282 on December 10th (per Carlos Legaspi)
Thursday:
- Calvin Kattar to fight Arnold Allen at UFC Vegas 63 on October 29th (per Brett Okamoto)
- Mike Davis to fight Viacheslav Borschev at UFC Vegas 61 on October 1st (per David Van Auken)
Wednesday:
- Jared Cannonier rebooked to fight Sean Strickland at UFC event on December 17th (per Helen Yee)
- Sodiq Yusuff will now fight Don Shainis at UFC Vegas 61 on October 1st (per Marcel Dorff)
- Julio Arce to fight Montel Jackson at UFC 281 on November 12th (per Team Irridium)
Tuesday
- Scrapped: Slim Trabelsi to fight Parker Porter at UFC 280 on October 22nd (Trabelsi contract issues)
Monday
- None to note
On this day in MMA…
On the 16th of September, 2017, Luke Rockhold earned what would become the final victory of his MMA career opposite David Branch at UFC Fight Night 116 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
The pair of middleweights clashed in the main event, with Rockhold living up to his status as a heavy favorite when Branch submitted due to strikes in the second round following being mounted and absorbing heavy strikes on the ground.
Rockhold would go on to lose his next three bouts consecutively, the most recent coming in August of this year at the hands of Paulo Costa, which led him to retirement.
