Brandon Moreno doesn’t know the magnitude of his star energy, however he believes there’s no person higher suited to headline UFC 320—the most recent installment of Noche UFC—when the promotion lands in Guadalajara, Mexico, on Sept. 13.
Following a unanimous choice win over Steve Erceg to cap off the most recent UFC Mexico card on Saturday, Moreno wasted no time turning his consideration to the long run with hopes that he can get one other crack at gold for his subsequent combat. Simply earlier than he walked out for the primary occasion, the UFC introduced the information in regards to the September pay-per-view and it felt like destiny for Moreno to win after which hunt down a fourth combat towards reigning flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja.
“That’s the objective for positive in Guadalajara,” Moreno mentioned through the UFC Mexico post-fight press convention. “I believe it’s excellent. Even for the UFC, for the promotion. In the event that they need to get a pay-per-view occasion in Noche UFC in September in Guadalajara, I believe I’m the precise alternative.”
It’s powerful to argue towards Moreno’s logic at the least in the case of reserving a significant native attraction for the cardboard that’s constructed round celebrating Mexican Independence Day.
The one downside Moreno would possibly face is convincing the UFC to present him one other crack at Pantoja contemplating he’s already fought and misplaced that combat on three totally different events previously. A kind of losses got here on The Final Fighter actuality present, so it doesn’t truly seem on his file, however Moreno nonetheless fell to Pantoja in two subsequent bouts, which incorporates the combat the place the Brazilian captured the 125-pound title in 2023.
Nonetheless, Moreno is aware of his capability to attract a crowd and his continued dominance within the flyweight division ought to at the least earn him consideration for that chance.
“I really feel at this time I’ve sufficient argument to lift my hand and say I may be the primary occasion within the pay-per-view in Guadalajara in September,” Moreno mentioned.
“Let’s see what occurs. I noticed [UFC Chief Business Officer] Hunter [Campbell] and he regarded very pleased with the individuals, with the gang. That’s the factor, who is aware of how a lot I transfer the needle? Perhaps not an excessive amount of. Flyweights, all the time with the identical downside, that’s loopy. However I actually consider each single time I step within the octagon, the individuals goes loopy. That’s a reality. Let’s see what occurs.”
Saturday’s UFC Mexico card featured a sold-out crowd with 19,731 followers in attendance and the best grossing gate for a UFC Battle Night time occasion in historical past with over $2.53 million earned.
These sorts of things bode nicely for Moreno’s request to headline the subsequent main UFC card in Mexico.
As for Pantoja, he nonetheless hasn’t been booked for his subsequent title protection, though all indicators level in direction of him returning sooner than September with potential opponents Manel Kape and/or Kai Kara-France ready within the wings.
It stays to be seen what occurs for Moreno, however he’s blissful to serve as long as his subsequent combat places him again in Mexico once more, particularly after he lastly received his first win there after beginning his UFC profession with an 0-2-1 file competing in Mexico Metropolis.
“Each single time after I received a loss [in Mexico City], I used to be like I don’t know what occurred right here,” Moreno mentioned. “I’m doing all of the job. I’m doing the job and I’m not getting the end result I need however I don’t know. This time I simply tried to maintain all these ideas out of the dialog and simply come right here, be very clear and put all of the job collectively.
“I felt all this combat week like every part feels totally different. I had the expertise. I’ve the vitality and on the finish, we secured [the win]. I’m blissful.”
