Report: Moraes fills in for Yahya to face Sterling at UFC Fresno
Marlon Moraes wanted Jimmie Rivera. He got Aljamain Sterling.
The Brazilian has stepped up to face his fellow bantamweight in an injured Rani Yahya's stead at UFC Fight Night 123 on Dec. 9 at Save Mart Center in Fresno, Calif., sources told MMAjunkie's Simon Samano on Friday.
Moraes will vie for his second UFC victory on a turnaround of under one month after edging John Dodson by split decision at UFC Fight Night 120 just six days ago - a performance he followed with a passionate call to face Rivera at UFC 219 on Dec. 30. Both of the former WSOF champion's trips to the Octagon have ended in divided verdicts, the first going to Raphael Assuncao at UFC 212 this past June.
Sterling meets Moraes after taking back-to-back unanimous decisions over Augusto "Tanquinho" Mendes and Renan Barao at UFC on FOX 24 and UFC 214, respectively. He heads to the Golden State as the UFC's eighth-ranked bantamweight with a promotional record of 6-2.
UFC Fight Night 123 will see Cub Swanson meet the undefeated Brian Ortega in the featherweight headliner.