UFC 245: Marlon Moraes edges split-decision after three-round war with Jose Aldo (VIDEO)
Of all the highly anticipated matchups at UFC 245, the second one on the main card may have flown a bit under the radar. Two of Brazil's best went to war but in the end, Marlon Moraes got the nod over Jose Aldo.
Following the opening action of the main card was the second of the two pivotal men's 135-matchups taking place at UFC 245. In the red corner was the recent title challenger and former World Series of Fighting king, Marlon Moraes. Standing across from him was former featherweight champion Jose Aldo who made his divisional debut.
Instantly, a lightning-quick left head kick from Moraes stunned the legendary Aldo. "Magic" Moraes followed it up with some more to no avail. A straight right from Aldo got Moraes' attention as the former champ started to dictate the pace. A big left catches Aldo and he shrugs it off.
In the final thirty seconds, Aldo started unloading and land two big right hands. As he came in hot, Moraes countered with a big trip.
Magic @MMarlonMoraes turning it ???? early! ????#UFC245 pic.twitter.com/NKibsbIYTT
— UFC (@ufc) December 15, 2019
Round two gets going and a leg kick from Aldo lands but he eats a straight right. Regardless, he keeps his control of the Octagon with Moraes backed up trying to circle out. When Moraes started to push back, Aldo ripped the body with a left hook followed by a right up top. Moraes fired back with a two-punch combination of his own.
Heavy blows began being traded with Aldo continuing o sneak in body shots. Every shot was turning into one that was carried with bad intentions. When Moraes went back to his patented head kick, the same amount of pop on it just wasn't there. It all came down to the third.
The King of Rio pouring on the pressure! ????@JoseAldoJunior #UFC245 pic.twitter.com/I9T0L9RvNX
— UFC (@ufc) December 15, 2019
A triple jab from Moraes caught Aldo nicely. By this point, the momentum seemed to change in terms of the offensive output. However, Aldo was still the one walking forward. The final round saw hard shots aplenty landed but Moraes landed more. In the end, the judges saw it in favor of Moraes by split decision.
Close one to call at BW!@MMarlonMoraes and @JoseAldoJunior go the distance – how's your scorecards looking? #UFC245 ???? pic.twitter.com/bRLD3irzTb
— UFC (@ufc) December 15, 2019
Aldo now rides a two-fight losing streak which is only the second of his illustrious career. Moraes, on the other hand, gets a much-needed rebound win and keeps himself in the top mix of contenders at 135-pounds.
With both Aldo and Faber suffering losses at UFC 245, maybe it could be time for a WEC rematch. As for Moraes, a lot depends on what will happen with those around him. From Aljamain Sterling to his fellow UFC 245 winner in Petr Yan, he's likely behind a few people in title contention.