MMA Career Retrospective: Brandon Moreno

Lately, Brandon Moreno has grown to grow to be one of many flyweight division’s most acknowledged and entertaining fighters. From his championship saga with Deiveson Figueiredo, to his Struggle of the Yr candidate bout with Alexandre Pantoja, “The Murderer Child” is not any stranger to placing on spectacular contests. Making his return to competitors since dropping a cut up determination to Brandon Royval again in February, Moreno jumps again into the saddle to face the surging 125-lb. contender Amir Albazi at UFC Struggle Evening 246.

For Albazi, a victory over one of many weight courses’ most revered champions would do a lot in the way in which of cementing his personal shot on the flyweight strap. Having not misplaced a combat since April 2019, and after choosing up a win in opposition to Kai Kara-France in his final outing, “The Prince” has the proper alternative to announce his declare to the throne. Regardless of a litany of well being issues main as much as their scratched encounter earlier this yr, Albazi stays adamant {that a} triumph in the primary occasion this weekend will safe his shot at present flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja.

On the lookout for his personal probability to settle the rating with “The Cannibal,” Moreno may have quite a bit on his plate when he takes on the elite wrestler from Iraq. Nonetheless, figuring out his tendency to chunk down on the mouth piece and transfer ahead, we are going to certainly be in for a deal with on this highly-anticipated flyweight scrap.

Brandon Moreno: The Early Years

Whereas recognized at this time as a two-time MMA champion within the UFC, Moreno’s early fascination with fight sports activities started with fairly the alternative fascination. In his youthful years, he grew up loving the game of boxing, but it surely was his want to be taught capoeira that prompted him to take up martial arts for the primary time. Nonetheless, he wasn’t capable of finding a fitness center that specialised in stated fashion, so, as a substitute, he determined to change his focus to MMA after discovering a spot to coach that supplied kickboxing and Brazilian jiu-jitsu. 

Moving into the cage for his skilled debut on April 30, 2011 as a bantamweight, a 17-year outdated Moreno scored his first win with a first-round armbar over Atiq Jihad. Regardless of this dominant freshman outing, the longer term UFC star would endure a little bit of an inconsistent run over the subsequent yr, going 2-3 in his subsequent 5 fights. 

In late 2012, although, Moreno began on what ended up changing into the most effective stretch of his early profession, profitable his subsequent 11 skilled bouts in a row. It was throughout this identical stretch that he moved to his everlasting dwelling within the flyweight division in 2014, incomes the World Preventing Federation 125-lb. championship and defending it thrice

Moreno Solid on TUF 25 and UFC Comes Calling

This dominant win streak piqued the curiosity of Dana White, who chosen Moreno to compete on the twenty fifth season of The Final Fighter as a contestant within the Event of Champions. On this season, 16 of the highest flyweight title holders outdoors of the UFC had been chosen to battle it out in a seeded bracket for the reward of each a UFC contract and a shot at then pound-for-pound standout Demetrious Johnson. Sadly, Moreno didn’t get the possibility to check himself in opposition to “Mighty Mouse,” as he was soundly eradicated from the event after dropping to a different future champion, Alexandre Pantoja. 

He didn’t win the event, however the Mexican was supplied a spot on the competitors’s finale card, the place he fought and defeated Ryan Benoit by cut up determination. Whereas he simply barely obtained the victory in his first UFC look, Moreno confirmed out in spades in his subsequent combat when he tapped out Dustin Ortiz, choosing up a coveted Efficiency of the Evening bonus for his troubles.

Now seen as a burgeoning contender, Moreno seemed to be on his means towards greatness at 125 lbs. After dropping a pair of determination losses to Sergio Pettis (brother of Anthony Pettis) and outdated foe Pantoja as soon as once more, he was finally launched from his contract and minimize from the promotion.

An LFA Title and UFC Redemption

Greater than a yr later following his departure from the UFC, Moreno made his comeback below the Legacy Preventing Alliance (LFA) banner in a bid for the corporate’s flyweight strap reverse Maikel Pérez. Regardless of the lengthy layoff, the boxing specialist seemed to be in fantastic type, securing a fourth spherical knockout to assert the belt and get himself again into the win column.

Though he solely competed as soon as outdoors of the UFC since he was served his strolling papers, his title-winning efficiency within the LFA was sufficient for the most important MMA promotion on the earth to name him again to the massive leagues. In his return bout, Moreno crossed paths with the touted Russian fighter, Askar Askarov, who was 11-0 on the time. Their hotly-contested encounter went the complete 5 spherical distance, however, ultimately, the match was scored a draw, inflicting a lot dialog inside the combined martial arts group, as most pundits noticed the combat for Moreno. 

Impasse Leads To Rematch

Constructing upon the teachings of his first bout of his second UFC tenure, Moreno quickly compiled a formidable three combat win streak, taking down a few of the prime flyweights on the planet like Kai Kara-France, Jussier Formiga, and Brandon Royval. This finally set “The Murderer Child” up for a high-profile tilt at UFC 256 in opposition to then 125-lb champion Deiveson Figueiredo. 

Within the early goings of the competition, Figueiredo’s energy posed a critical menace to Moreno, with the flyweight king touchdown a number of laborious photographs that appeared to rock the challenger. Nonetheless, following an unintentional low blow in spherical three by the champion (a blow which value Figueiredo some extent), Moreno in some way turned extra recent. His stamina seemingly restored, the Mexican pushed the tempo on the Brazilian, using his quantity placing to achieve the sting in exercise. Placing on an prompt traditional for the division, each males had been left stumped when the combat was scored a draw, resulting in followers across the globe to demand a direct rematch between the 2.

Six months later, the pair had been set to face off as soon as extra for flyweight gold. Although some had been anticipating the rematch to go to the playing cards like final time, Moreno took the judges out of the equation in emphatic trend by submitting Figueiredo within the third spherical to crown himself the UFC Flyweight Champion. Not solely was this the primary time he made it to the highest of the division, Moreno additionally made historical past by changing into the primary Mexican-born fighter to win a UFC title. 

Moreno Loses Belt and Positive factors Interim Title

Within the first protection of his newly-acquired belt, Moreno got here to blows for a 3rd time in opposition to his nemesis, Figueiredo at UFC 270. Conserving with the custom of their fights, each males stored their third consecutive bout supremely aggressive; Moreno outlanded “Deus da Guerra” and Figueiredo managed to knock down the champion thrice. This scrap was additionally an in depth one on the rating playing cards, however sadly, it was Moreno who got here out on the unsuitable finish of a cut up determination, relinquishing his title to his hard-hitting rival.

Initially slated to fulfill Figueiredo for an unprecedented fourth match later that yr, Moreno, after the champion was sidelined with an damage, fought Kai Kara-France in a runback for the interim flyweight championship. Previous to the occasion, Kara-France hadn’t been completed by strikes in over ten years. Moreno, bringing that streak to an finish, completely dismantled his Final Fighter alumni by delivering a strong kick to the New Zealander’s liver, starching him with floor and pound to win the interim strap. 

Making an attempt to unify the belts in his subsequent pay-per-view look, Moreno subsequent appeared to lastly settle the rating with Figueiredo within the UFCs first ever championship tetralogy at UFC 283. Right here, the Tijuana native put a definitive finish to his three yr saga along with his Brazilian adversary by reaching a 3rd spherical TKO by shutting Figueiredo’s eye with a hook to regain his place as the most effective flyweight within the sport.

Pantoja Takes Title and Moreno Falters vs. Royval in Rematch

Though he had prevailed in opposition to his perennial rival, Figueiredo, Moreno had a troublesome check forward of him in his first protection of his second reign as champion when he needed to battle the one man to have ever overwhelmed him twice (as soon as in an exhibition and as soon as as knowledgeable), Alexandre Pantoja. In what would grow to be a frontrunner for the Struggle of the Yr in 2023, each champion and challenger threw every part that they had at one another, rocking each other a number of instances with stiff punches. By the point the combat was over, each rivals had landed practically 200 strikes every and painted the canvas a darkish pink, but it surely was Pantoja who finally walked away with the victory attributable to gaining the sting along with his superior grappling. 

Trying to bounce again for an opportunity to face “The Cannibal” once more, Moreno secured a most important occasion showcase with Brandon Royval for a second assembly at UFC Struggle Evening 237. Over the course of his current bouts, the previous two-time champion boasted a deep gasoline tank and a high-volume placing fashion. Nonetheless, whether or not it was due to his previous fights taking their toll on him, or maybe it was simply an off night time, Moreno sadly dropped a back-and-forth cut up determination, setting his title hopes again by a big margin. 

Albazi Awaits Saturday Evening

Now feeling refreshed since his break from competitors, Moreno is in want of a significant win to maintain himself related within the UFC title image. A win over the streaking Amir Albazi would certainly put his identify within the hat for the subsequent challenger to Pantoja’s throne, however his again is undoubtedly in opposition to the wall inside the higher echelon of the 125-lb class. Along with his want for redemption in opposition to the person who took his strap on the road reverse a critical menace within the division, the stakes for Moreno have by no means been increased.

He all the time delivers in that Octagon 👏

Brandon Moreno returns Saturday night time within the #UFCEdmonton most important occasion! pic.twitter.com/QvCeipMGsx

— UFC (@ufc) November 2, 2024