Top UFC bantamweight title contenders Raphael Assuncao and Marlon Moraes both made weight ahead of their main event bout on Saturday (ESPN+) in Fortaleza, Brazil. To be eligible to compete, they needed to be no more than 136 pounds the day prior. Assuncao and Moraes came in at 136 and 135 pounds, respectively.
Assuncao has won 11 of his last 12 fights, his only loss during that stretch to current division champion TJ Dillashaw in 2016. Moraes has just one defeat in his last 17 bouts — to Assuncao by split decision in his UFC debut last June. Since then he has three victories in the promotion, two of which were dramatic first-round knockouts.
The winner of Saturday’s matchup is expected to be next in line for a title shot against Dillashaw. The one possible scenario where this does not occur is if UFC flyweight champion Henry Cejudo moves up for a chance at a second belt. Cejudo defeated Dillashaw by first-round TKO on January 19 to retain his title and has been adamant about moving up in weight.