A decade into his UFC career, Brandon Moreno still believes he can be a three-time champ

Brandon Moreno‘s profession can be summed up in 5 phrases: “It all happened very fast.” Despite being an instance of perseverance, he’s gotten used to abrupt modifications. Saturday, he’ll combat on the Arena Ciudad de Mexico for the fifth time, fourth as a headliner, and at 32 years previous, he’s approaching the completion of his first decade within the UFC. It glided by shortly for him. The Tijuana-born flyweight is a memorable determine for Mexican MMA followers. In June 2021, he became the first Mexican-born UFC champion when I’ve submitted Deiveson Figueiredo with a gorgeous rear-naked choke within the third spherical at UFC 263. That was the second in a streak of six consecutive championship bouts over the course of three years for Moreno — 4 towards Figueiredo — a stretch of time that handed within the blink of a watch.

Since that six-title-fight run ended with a cut up determination loss to Alexandre Pantoja in July 2023, Moreno has gone 2-2, together with a determination over Steve Erceg final March that Moreno gave his first win in Mexico City. On Saturday, ESPN’s No. 7-ranked flyweightfaces Lone’er Kavanagh in a five-round combat with a chance to defeat an thrilling prospect and return to the flyweight contenders listing. But a loss may ship him into limbo, the place he’ll be a beautiful identify for occasions centered on Latin crowds however removed from championship consideration.

Moreno wants a convincing win so as to add to his 10-year UFC legacy. He modified Mexican MMA historical past, however as he mirrored on his journey, he was still feeling younger sufficient to maintain combating.

The ‘TUF’ entry and thrilling debut

Moreno joined the UFC amid TV drama. After he spent months like this Henry Cejudo‘s coaching companion, the previous two-division champion helped Moreno get onto the roster for “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 24 in 2016, the place Cejudo was set to educate towards Joseph Benavidez. The contestants had been seeded 1-16 for a bracket-style match, and Moreno was No. 16. Cejudo then picked No. 1-seeded Pantoja for his crew, sending Moreno to Team Benavidez. Moreno was bounced from the present after dropping to Pantoja, and his friendship with Cejudo ended.

But all wasn’t misplaced. While the truth present aired, a chance arose to exchange Sergio Pettis towards the UFC’s then-No. 9-ranked flyweight, Louis Smolka. Not solely did Moreno submit Smolka within the first spherical for the win on quick discover, he additionally earned his first $50,000 efficiency bonus.

“It was me living in the moment,” Moreno instructed ESPN this week. “Everything was so fast, I didn’t have time to think. When they called me to fight Louis Smolka, I didn’t hesitate; it was what I wanted. I was just happy they gave me my uniform, did photos and a few interviews. I wasn’t focused on anything else. It was enjoyable hearing [announcer] Bruce Buffer say my name — it helped me enjoy the moment.”

Moreno mentioned the bonus modified his life instantly.

“I was at a bar after the fights,” Moreno recalled. “[UFC matchmaker] Sean Shelby came and told me I got the first bonus. With that, I bought my first house and gave my family a better life.”

He picked up one other win on “The Ultimate Fighter” finale card two months later towards Ryan Benoit. I’ve completed a ranked Dustin Ortiz the next April, and the door opened for Moreno to combat in his first UFC foremost occasion in Mexico City towards Pettis.

The finish of the primary stint

Moreno was the primary in his “TUF” class to foremost occasion on a UFC card, but it surely ended as shortly because it began. “It was similar to the debut; everything happened fast,” Moreno mentioned of his first UFC loss. “In a year, I had three fights, and by August 2017, I was fighting Sergio Pettis. I was young, I wanted to conquer the world. I now recognize Sergio had more experience. I was sure I could win, but [his eight previous UFC fights] “weighed a lot.”

Although he seemed secure in the promotion with a 3-1 record, executives were considering cutting the division at the time, putting all flyweights at risk. After a fight against Ray Borg in Brooklyn was canceled due to injuries Borg sustained when Conor McGregor attacked a fighter bus prior to UFC 223, Moreno signed on for a rematch with Pantoja in Santiago, Chile, in May 2018.

“I misplaced in Chile in May, two losses, and was one of many best cuts after they wished to eliminate the division,” Moreno said. Around the time he was released, one of Moreno’s daughters began experiencing health challenges, and mounting medical expenses came without the security of a steady income.

“There had been many obstacles I needed to overcome on the identical time,” he explained.

The return

Although his relationship with Cejudo was broken, the Olympic champion unknowingly helped Moreno again. In August 2018, Cejudo took the belt from Demetrius Johnsonending Johnson’s 11-fight flyweight title reign and a tense relationship with the UFC. Johnson’s departure opened new possibilities for a weight class that had become impenetrable.

After a year without fighting, “The Assassin Baby” received a proposal to combat for the flyweight title towards Cuban Maikel Perez — a high-risk rival — in LFA, a promotion that had turn out to be a stepping stone to the UFC.

“I knew Maikel, he had educated with him, wrestled with him and he had destroyed me,” Moreno said. “I used to be nervous however took the chance. I received, signed with my present administration company that has good firm relations, and returned to UFC.”

Although he knew it was a dangerous fight, he had a powerful reason to win: “It was aid and inside hearth. I could not make my household undergo these issues once more due to me; it was a nice motivation.”

The rise

Moreno re-signed with the UFC a month after his LFA title win, and once again, he was in a hurry. He drew with Askar Askarov in September 2019 in Mexico City in his comeback combat, beat Kai Kara-France three months later at UFC 245 and beat Jussier Formiga in March 2020.

In November that yr, he confronted Brandon Royval at UFC 255, successful by TKO as a consequence of damage. The identical night time, Figueiredo submitted Alex Perez in the first round. Amid one of the promotion’s most complicated years, UFC CEO Dana White decided to match Moreno and Figueiredo three weeks later in the main event of UFC 256.

The fight was one of the most spectacular bouts in the division’s history but ended in a draw, starting a rivalry that’d take four fights to define. Moreno won the second meeting, becoming 125-pound champion in June 2021. Figueiredo regained the title at UFC 270 in January 2022, and a year later, Moreno closed the story with a TKO victory in Rio de Janeiro at UFC 283. Along the way, Moreno also beat Kara-France a second time for an interim title at UFC 277, then lost the belt at UFC 290 to Pantoja, another career rematch.

“They had been very productive years; I can’t complain,” Moreno said. “I laid a path for my household’s future. I traveled a lot, labored a lot attempting to construct that future for my daughters and spouse. I burned out a bit, however I will not deny these years helped me a lot. Championship fights got here, interim, foremost occasions, five-round camps, travels, and all that helped form my profession and legacy right now.”

After losing the belt, he has faced the division’s best, but a painful loss to Tatsuro Taira at UFC 323 in December pushed him to come back as soon as possible.

The crownless champion

The flyweight division has a promising future, with a 24-year-old champion in Joshua Van and many quality containers, such as Taira, Manel KapeKioji Horiguchi and former champion Pantoja. But Moreno’s connection with fans keeps him one of the most popular fighters in the division.

“I prefer to assume I’m within the division’s high 5 [all-time],” Moreno said. “No one will transfer Demetrious Johnson [off the greatest flyweight ever spot]a minimum of within the close to future. Current champ Joshua Van has on a regular basis to make historical past, however I feel I’m within the high 5.”

Despite that, he’s not satisfied. He said he still feels very young but he has to understand he started this journey at a young age.

“I feel my path is stuffed with expertise,” he said. “I do know I’m the skilled fighter within the division however still very hungry. At the tip of the day, I need to be champion. But I feel the essence of fight is what retains me motivated — competitors, waking up early, self-discipline, sweat and that primitive feeling of getting into a combat with one other man.” Being UFC champion is a feat. Losing and regaining it is an even bigger feat. But doing it a third time would be the highlight of his career. Moreno envisions a scenario in which a victory positions him to face another top-five contender — and puts him one step closer to a new title opportunity.

“That would put my identify very excessive on this sport’s historical past,” Moreno said. “I’m doing all the things in my management — hold working, waking up early, disciplined with coaching. I’m an instance that if I need to obtain my targets, I can, and my aim is to be champion once more.”