WSOF bantamweight champion Marlon Moraes negotiating contract with UFC

The UFC’s bantamweight might be getting a little deeper soon. Marlon Moraes, the long-running World Series of Fighting 135-pound champ, is a free agent and is in contract talks with the promotion according to MMA Junkie.

In fact, his manager Ali Abdelaziz even has an opponent and a venue in mind - Jimmie Rivera at UFC 210.

“I believe Marlon is capable of beating any bantamweight in the world,.“Jimmie needs a fight, and Marlon deserves to fight a top-ranked opponent if he signs with the UFC. This fight just makes sense.”

Moraes (18-4-1) claimed the WSOF bantamweight title in March 2014, and has successfully defended it five times since then. His most recent defense came over Josenaldo Silva on WSOF’s NYE card in New York. He has won 13 fights in a row overall.

Rivera (20-1, 4-0 UFC) is coming off a big win over Urijah Faber. He was scheduled to meet Bryan Caraway recently, but Caraway was forced off the card due to injury and Rivera was eventually removed from the card.

WSOF has had to cancel events of late, and losing one of their marquee champions might be another nail in the coffin for the fledgling promotion. UFC 210 goes down in Buffalo on April 8th.