Sherdog Prospect Watch: 10 Upside Picks

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5. Sheymon da Silva Moraes
Division: Bantamweight
Record: 7-0
Age: 24
Years Pro: 3
Camp: Team Nogueira

World Series of Fighting appears to have put Moraes on the fast track to the upper echelons of its bantamweight division, with a possible title fight against champion Marlon Moraes seemingly in the offing for his younger countryman. Assuming this is the plan, he will have a stiff test on his hands against the consensus top-10 bantamweight, but win or lose, there is no doubting his talent or upside.

A member of Team Nogueira who served as Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira’s striking coach during his tenure on “The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil 2,” Moraes owns boatloads of experience as a professional kickboxer. He has more than 70 muay Thai fights on his record, many of them against legitimate competition in Thailand, where he has lived and trained off and on since he was a teenager.

That muay Thai base forms the core of Moraes’ approach in MMA, and he is one of the purest examples of the Thai style in the sport today. That means an emphasis on delivering single kicks and punches with maximum power and speed rather than rhythmic punch-kick combinations, although he can do that when the mood strikes. Like many Thais, Moraes employs a strong thip to maintain his preferred distance when pressured. It also means Moraes makes outstanding use of elbows, both as counters to punches at range and on the inside. Finally, it means Moraes has an outstanding clinch game, replete with truly devastating knees, slashing elbows, strong posture, an arsenal of trips and throws and the ability to transition quickly from position to position. Essentially, think of what Matt Brown can do on the inside, and Moraes’ game is quite similar.

The rest of Moraes’ game is solid, though he has yet to be truly tested. Given space, he can stuff takedowns fairly well, though he struggles with chained attempts or when his opponents can distract him with strikes. He can blast away from top position with elbows and knows enough to defend submissions or escape back to his feet if taken down, but he clearly still has a great deal to learn to become a more well-rounded fighter.

Moraes oozes upside. He is an incredible athlete who seems to glide around the cage, and he throws everything with brutal, fight-ending force. Offensive output could be a problem, especially against an active and polished competitor like Marlon Moraes, but given his youth and lack of experience, he still has quite a while before he hits his real prime. Team Nogueira is an excellent training environment, and Moraes makes regular trips to Tiger Muay Thai to train with the likes of Roger Huerta, as well. In short, there is every reason to expect big things from Moraes in the future.

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