Marlon Moraes spent five years competing in the UFC but signed with the PFL after falling out love with the promotion.
The former UFC title challenger, 34, announced his retirement from fighting six months ago after suffering four consecutive knockout defeats. ‘Magic’ left his gloves in the octagon after losing to Song Yadong and insisted he would only stay in the fight game to help his teammates, but became the latest fighter to have a short-lived retirement by signing with the PFL last month.
The Brazilian never fell out with UFC staff and left the promotion on good terms, explaining that he just didn’t have the desire to compete for the most prestigious MMA promotion in the world anymore. “Unfortunately I didn’t accomplish my dream in the UFC, I wanted to hold that belt. I gave my all to the division and made so many sacrifices.
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“I have a lot of respect for everyone at the UFC, but I just didn’t want to see that group of people anymore. I left on good terms. It was just the feeling of I didn’t want to be there, I wanted something new in my life. I just didn’t want to go back to the UFC to go through everything all over again. I needed another drive to compete, some competition that would drive me.
Before he signed for the UFC in 2017, Moraes was once a bantamweight champion for WSOF, the original iteration of the PFL before their rebranding.
Moraes becomes the latest UFC veteran to join the promotion’s roster with featherweight Shane Burgos and light-heavyweight Thiago Santos also signing for the PFL. Moraes will move up to featherweight and face Burgos in his debut for the promotion at their championships event on November 25 in New York.
Moraes said that members of the PFL staff such as kickboxing legend Ray Sefo played a part in his decision to sign for the promotion, stating: “I know the people behind PFL are people that respect not just their champions, but any fighter that steps in the cage.
"Ray [Sefo] was a professional fighter and for many of us he was a big name, I was always a big fan of him. I want to compete for that guy and represent the PFL. Doing what I love for who I love.
“When the opportunity to sign with the PFL came, I didn’t hesitate,” Moraes added. "I’m going to see people that I hang out with, they are true friends. If I lose a fight, they aren’t going to bump on my shoulder. They are honest, they aren’t going to be like ‘he’s a piece of something’
