Moraes calls UFC release ‘entirely my fault’
Jason Silva-USA TODAY Sports
Sergio Moraes’ UFC run has come to an end after seven years in the Octagon.
Yet another member of the original The Ultimate Fighter Brazil cast has been cut from the UFC. Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist Sergio Moraes did not survive the dreaded three-fight skid that has sent many fighters to the chopping block before him. The 37-year-old’s last Octagon appearance was in November 2019.
In an interview with Combate, Moraes seemed to have taken the news maturely, looking back to his past performances and thinking he could have worked harder in order to get those wins and avoid being fired. Ultimately he put the blame for being cut squarely on himself.
“I think I did not apply myself enough and, because of that, I suffered lots of losses. It was entirely my fault, for not preparing mentally, for not training, for not focusing enough. It’s 100% my fault. I’m aware of my potential, I know what I can do. But most of the times, it’s all in your head.”
After dropping a unanimous decision to Anthony Rocco Martin and getting knocked out by both Warlley Alves and James Krause, Moraes (14-6-1) ended his UFC run with a 8-5-1 record in the Octagon. His last win was a submission over Ben Saunders, back in September 2018.
Now a free agent, Moraes might not get back into MMA anytime soon. He plans to start competing in professional jiu-jitsu once again, although a return to mixed martial arts is not entirely off the table.
“Life goes on as usual. The only thing that has changed is that I left the UFC. My plans for 2020 are the best possible. I’ll go back to jiu-jitsu competitions. Some companies are already interested in me, so we’ll see. Life goes on, right? Now I’m completely focused on jiu-jitsu. In MMA, I’ll be an all about jiu-jitsu version of me.”
Sergio Moraes’ UFC career began when he fought Cezar Ferreira for TUF Brazil 1’s middleweight title, in June 2012. In that fight he replaced the injured finalist Daniel Sarafian. He lost the bout via unanimous decision at UFC 147.