High-ranked bantamweight Marlon Moraes has decided to end his MMA career after more than 30 appearances.
News of Moraes’ decision to retire was confirmed Wednesday by Damon Martin of MMA Fighting.
Moraes, 33, fought at the top level of the bantamweight division in recent years. He first joined the UFC roster in 2017 after going undefeated in WSOF (now recognized as the PFL), scoring 11 wins for that promotion.
Moraes attained five wins through 11 fights in the UFC. Notable victories include a 2019 split decision over Jose Aldo and a 33-second knockout win against Jimmie Rivera in 2018.
Moraes challenged for a championship once during his run, facing Henry Cejudo at UFC 238 in 2019. He came up short in that bout, getting finished in the third round.
Moraes is ending his MMA career after suffering four consecutive finish losses against some of the top names at 135-pounds. His last appearance was last month when Song Yadong stopped him in the first round with strikes.
In a statement provided to MMA Fighting, Moraes mentioned his intention to stay around the sport in some capacity.
“I’m still gonna be around the sport helping young guys and helping my friends,” he said.
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