Marlon Moraes defeated Raphael Assuncao by submission in the first round Saturday at UFC Fight Night in Fortaleza, Brazil.
Moraes (22-5-1) dropped Assuncao with two big right hands and eventually locked in a guillotine choke, getting Assuncao to tap at the 3:17 mark.
With the win, Moraes is expected to be next in line for a title shot against 135-pound champion TJ Dillashaw.
One possible impediment to Moraes’ title shot is if UFC flyweight champion Henry Cejudo moves up for a chance at a second belt. Cejudo defeated Dillashaw by first-round TKO on Jan. 19 to retain his title and has been adamant about moving up in weight.
Saturday’s fight was a rematch of UFC 212 in June 2017, when Assuncao won in a close split decision.
Moraes has now won four fights in a row, while Assuncao’s (27-6-0) four-fight winning streak was snapped.