Marlon Moraes to TJ Dillashaw: “Defend or Vacate”

What’s next for T.J. Dillashaw? After dispatching of Cody Garbrandt in the UFC 227 main event for the second straight time, we know that it won’t be “No Love.” But aside from that, it’s anybody’s guess on who “Killashaw” will take aim at next. Many names have been floated around, and one such name is Marlon Moraes, who when asked if it should be him who challenges T.J. Dillashaw for the title next, he responded without pause.

“Yes man, 100-percent,” said Marlon on “Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show.” “But the situation now is kind of getting crazy becasue Dillashaw and Duane Ludwig, they are calling the shots now. They want to match me up with Dominick Cruz, other guys. Why, man? Stop matching me up and just fight me.”

With names like Raphael Assuncao and Henry Cejudo also awaiting a shot at Dillashaw, a potential fight for Moraes in the meantime could be former Dominick Cruz. When asked about the prospect of facing the former bantamweight champion, Moraes seemed lukewarm to the idea:

“I feel like he (Cruz) had a long layoff. I agree with him, he is one of the best ever. But we got to see how he is now. Make a comeback, fight somebody else to see where he’s at,” he said.

“If T.J. goes down and vacates the belt, I would be more than welcome to that opportunity. It’s going to be an honor for me to fight such a great fighter like Dominick Cruz. I saw last week he said guys don’t talk about him, but I always talk about him. He is one of the best and I always look up to him,” he added. “The day I have to fight him, I am going to be down for it. I have no idea what UFC wants, but I am going to be down and I won’t say no. I just think I deserve the chance and I deserve to fight this guy. If he wants to be the best he has to fights the best and I think I’m at the top now.”

Until the UFC decides what will be next for Dillashaw, there is only one thing Moraes can do; and he argues that there are only two things Dillashaw should do:

“I’m waiting man, I am waiting for the opportunity. They know I’m down for fights and I want to fight. I want to work and I want to fight for the title. Let’s see if they can put all that together. I think so, especially now that T.J. wants to do anything but not defend the belt. I want to fight, Dominick said he wants to fight. If he (Dillashaw) don’t want to fight, vacate and let us fight.”