UFC bantamweight Marlon Moraes put on a dominant display at UFC Fight Night 123 in Fresno, Calif. Inside the Save Mart Center, the fighter faced off against Aljamain Sterling for division dominance. However, the fight did not go on for long.
Sterling went for an improperly timed takedown, when Moraes sent a rocketing knee to the head of his opponent. The result of the clash was one of the most stunning knockout finishes of the year. As the fighter was left unconscious on the canvas, Sterling was frozen in a pose seemingly identical to the popular “dab” meme. Sterling was later carried out of the arena on a stretcher, from where the fighter would make a full recovery.
That being said, it would appear that the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) has no plans to allow Marlon Moraes to compete in the bantamweight division again in the near future. As part of the commission’s goal to minimize dangerous weight cutting, initially reported by MMA Fighting, CSAC has determined that Moraes will not be permitted to compete in the bantamweight division until the fighter can medically prove his long term health is not being jeopardized by the necessary weight cuts.
Moraes gained 14.5 percent of his weight back after weigh-ins. The fighter weighed 155 pounds on fight day after weighing in at 135.4 for the event.
