{"id":277802,"date":"2018-06-04T15:10:40","date_gmt":"2018-06-04T22:10:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/staging.tcpcharms.com\/bjpenn\/?p=277802"},"modified":"2018-06-04T15:22:43","modified_gmt":"2018-06-04T22:22:43","slug":"marlon-moraes-says-jimmie-riveras-coach-tried-to-pick-a-fight-with-his-manager-backstage-in-utica","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/staging.tcpcharms.com\/bjpenn\/mma-news\/marlon-moraes\/marlon-moraes-says-jimmie-riveras-coach-tried-to-pick-a-fight-with-his-manager-backstage-in-utica\/","title":{"rendered":"Marlon Moraes says Jimmie Rivera’s coach tried to pick a fight with his manager backstage in Utica"},"content":{"rendered":"

Shortly after Friday’s UFC Utica card wrapped up, there was a brief, back-stage confrontation between Marlon Moraes’s team, and that of his vanquished<\/a> foe Jimmie Rivera.<\/p>\n

Speaking on Monday’s edition of\u00a0The MMA Hour,<\/a>\u00a0Moraes gave his side of the story on this back-stage skirmish, and explained that his manager Ali Abdelaziz nearly came to blows with Rivera’s coach Tiger Schulman. In his eyes, this was the fault of some misplaced aggression from Schulman.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy manager Ali, he\u2019s trying to apologize and everything\u2019s done,” Moraes said (transcribed by MMAMania<\/a>). “We fought already, it’s the sport, peace. He was trying to shake Jimmie\u2019s hand, Jimmie\u2019s wife hand, it was all a big misunderstanding because Ali never said anything bad to his wife, [Rivera] thought so. Even Jimmie understand. So Ali is talking to them and [Rivera’s] coach comes in, his name is Tiger or…I don\u2019t even know his name. He comes in and tries to be a tough man to Ali and maybe start a fight.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMan this guy is in his 50s, Ali is in 40s and Ali gives tough time to fighters [in the gym],” Moraes continued. “He could kill that guy and I am glad they didn\u2019t fight. It got close. I\u2019m glad Ali didn\u2019t hit him, he\u2019s got heavy hands and I know because he\u2019s punched me before. He\u2019s a fighter. We spar together. Everything got settled, they left and security come in. Thanks to God.\u201d<\/p>\n

While Moraes assures Rivera and his wife had nothing to do with this near-scuffle, Rivera did offer a slightly different take<\/a> on the ordeal, suggesting Abdelaziz was actually to blame.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no tension between [Moraes] and I,” Rivera said on FS1 post-fight. “There\u2019s no tension with the camps.”<\/p>\n

“It\u2019s just his management. His manager keeps running his mouth. It is what it is. We let it go.\u201d<\/p>\n