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Thiago Moises is a Brazilian MMA fighter who made his official UFC debut in 2018 against Beneil Dariush. The No.14 UFC lightweight has a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu but can also rely on his striking when forced to. Moises is set to face Islam Makhachev at UFC Vegas 31 on July 17. It will be the Brazilian fighter's seventh outing in the UFC and his biggest challenge yet.
Also read: Thiago Moises touts Islam Makhachev bout as life-changing.
Thiago Moises is aware of the challenge his bout against the #9-ranked UFC lightweight Islam Makhachev is about to bring. He wrote:
"I'm ready for a war tomorrow! I'm focused on the mission, my history brought me here and I'll honor it tomorrow"
Thiago Moises enters UFC Vegas 31 as an underdog, but pulling off a win against Islam Makhachev could set him up for big things in the UFC. Ahead of the bout, let's do a background check on Moises.
#3. Thiago Moises got into the UFC after an impressive win in Dana White's Contender Series
Thiago Moises started his MMA career in 2012 with local promotions in Brazil. After picking up a 5-0 record from five different promotions, he came to the United States.
Making his featherweight debut against Jason Knight in Atlas Fights: Cage Rage in 2015, Thiago Moises suffered the first loss of his MMA career. However, he moved on to the Resurrection Fighting Alliance (RFA) and bounced back with a second round submission win. Six months later, he won the vacant RFA lightweight championship, defeating his opponent via armbar.
He defended his RFA title twice in dominant fashion before moving on to the Legacy Fighting Alliance. After going 1-1 in the LFA, Thiago Moises featured in Dana White's Conteder Series Brazil 3 in 2018. During the event, he outperformed his opponent as well as the other fighters on the card.
Thiago Moises won the fight via TKO in the first round after landing a deadly head-kick on his opponent. He became the only fighter on the card to deliver a first-round finish, earning a contract with the UFC as a result.
Also read: UFC Vegas 31: 5 names to look out for.
#2. Thiago Moises is on a three-fight winning streak
Thiago Moises made his UFC debut against MMA veteran Beneil Dariush (21-4-1). He was heavily outstruck by the Iranian, who also executed four takedowns and attempted two submission attempts against Moises. The Brazilian, on the other hand, fought hard with two takedown attempts and four submission attempts of his own.
However, with neither of the two fighters being able to finish their opponent, the fight went to the judges. Beneil Dariush won via unanimous decision, giving Moises a taste of the high-level competition in the UFC.
After going 1-1 in 2019, Thiago Moises seems to have found his rhythm. He has gone 3-0 since the start of 2020, defeating MMA veterans Michael Johnson and Bobby Green. He defeated Bobby Green by a razor-thin margin, with all the judges scoring the fight 29-28 in Moises's favor.
His fight against Michael Johnson (19-17) was rather interesting. Thiago Moises landed just a single strike on 'The Menace', failing in all of his takedown attempts. However, when presented with an opportunity early in round two, he caught Johnson in an achilles lock, forcing the MMA veteran to tap out.
Thiago Moises defeated Alexander Hernandez after displaying an improved striking game, securing a decision in his favor after three rounds. Going against Islam Makhachev at UFC Vegas 31, Moises has decent momentum to push him through.
Also read: 5 things you need to know about Islam Makhachev, the next big thing in the UFC lightweight division.
#1. Thiago Moises has never been finished
In an MMA career that started in 2012, Thiago Moises has lost four times, with two of those coming in the UFC. The Brazilian fighter has faced many MMA veterans such as Beneil Dariush, Michael Johnson and Bobby Green. However, he has never been finished despite being stuck in sketchy situations many times.
His history in the octagon points to the fact that Thiago Moises has a strong chin and good defense when he is fighting off his back from the mat. He has been rocked by a number of his opponents including 'The Menace' and 'King' Bobby Green. He has also been trapped on the floor by veterans like Beneil Dariush.
However, the Brazilian has always managed to stand back up and force the decision onto the judges. This is an impressive attribute to have and it makes Thiago Moises an interesting challenger for Islam Makhachev.
In a promotion where most of the fighters are afraid to take on the Dagestani fighter, Moises didn't think twice before agreeing to a bout with him. This also makes him mentally tough. Speaking ahead of UFC Vegas 31, Thiago Moises said about his opponent:
"He (Islam Makahachev) is a great fighter. He is well-rounded. He is a good striker, he is strong, of course, with his takedowns but has good grappling as well. I think that's why nobody wants to fight him, you know, but I'm a well-rounded fighter, as well. I trust myself, I trust on my skills and I believe I have all the tools to beat him."
