Former WSOF bantamweight champion Marlon Moraes has signed a multifight deal with the UFC and will face Raphael Assuncao at UFC 212 on June 3 in Brazil.
UFC officials confirmed Moraes' signing after an initial report by MMAFighting.com. The 28-year-old has long been considered one of the top talents competing outside the UFC.
Moraes (18-4-1) has not suffered a loss since November 2011. He won the WSOF 135-pound title in 2014 and recorded five consecutive title defenses, the most recent against Josenaldo Silva at WSOF 34 in December.
Originally from Brazil, Moraes trains alongside former UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar at Ricardo Almeida BJJ in New Jersey.
Moraes draws a tough task in his promotional debut. Assuncao (24-5) holds an 8-2 overall record in the UFC, including wins over T.J. Dillashaw, Bryan Caraway and Aljamain Sterling. A fellow Brazilian, Assuncao also trains in the U.S., out of Alpharetta, Georgia.
ESPN.com ranks Assuncao and Moraes as the Nos. 4 and 7 bantamweights in the world, respectively.
UFC 212 will take place at HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro. A featherweight title fight between Jose Aldo (26-2) and Max Holloway (17-3) is scheduled to headline the pay-per-view event.
