“On the outside looking in” is often viewed as a negative phrase. However, sometimes when it is used in the context of mixed martial arts, the position of being on the outside looking in provides an opportunity for an individual to parlay that position into a big payday. Marlon Moraes is in such position. This is the perfect time for him to be competing in the World Series of Fighting, as each victory increases the number of zeroes that will be added to his checks when the Ultimate Fighting Championship comes calling.
Moraes walked away from WSOF 13 last Saturday night with a dominating win over Cody Bollinger. Bollinger, who stepped into the fight on short notice, was expected to be moving up to featherweight, but was still considered a contender at 135 pounds, the weight class where he defeated former bantamweight contender Tyson Nam. Though this was to be Moraes’s first defense of the promotion’s bantamweight title, they eventually had to settle on a 147-pound catchweight fight. However, despite essentially moving up a weight class, Moraes didn’t allow the bigger opponent any opportunities, as the Florida native finished Bollinger in the second round of their main event contest.
However, there are still some pundits who will detract from what Moraes is doing in the sport. WSOF is still a developing organization, and it doesn’t currently have a stable of fighters capable of posing much of an anticipated threat to the champion. Moraes will likely be the favorite in any fight that can be put together at this point. But despite those criticisms, Moraes should relish being in this position.
In recent years, Hector Lombard and Eddie Alvarez stand out as two examples of fighters who were able to excel outside of Zuffa employ. Both men were able to leverage their resumes in other organizations into major paydays once they were added to the UFC roster. Lombard has already achieved some success within the promotion, while Alvarez has a big date with Donald Cerrone at UFC 178. One cannot reject the notion that their dominance while fighting in other organizations led to them receiving such high card placement within the UFC right from the start. Years before Lombard and Alvarez, Jake Shields was the classic example of a fighter who built a legit run in other MMA promotions before leveraging his value into a larger than average contract signing.
Moraes can use his time in the WSOF to do the same thing. It’s clear that the toughest fights and biggest notoriety lie within the UFC’s Octagon. However, if Moraes continues winning, especially in an exciting fashion, he and his camp can expect the biggest promotion in MMA to eventually reach out to him, especially considering the current state of the UFC bantamweight division. T.J. Dillashaw is holding the title with very little to look forward to in terms of contenders. Besides Raphael Assuncao, a rematch with Renan Barao, a possible fight against former champion Dominick Cruz, and the hopes of a fight against Urijah Faber, there aren’t too many interesting matchups on the horizon in the weight class. If Moraes can continue to look dominant while promoting himself in an effective manner, he will be in the right position to request a large sum of money to make the leap into the bright lights of the Octagon.
Mixed martial artists are prizefighters at heart. Each time a fighter steps into the cage, he or she is potentially one step closer to the payday of his or her career. Stars that are able to grow their brands and keep winning outside of the UFC are in a great position to request more from the organization if and when the promotion attempts to sign them. Marlon Moraes may eventually find himself on the UFC’s list of high-value free agents, if and only if he can continue winning while in the World Series of Fighting.
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WSOF 13 took place on September 13, 2014 at Sands Casino Resort in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
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