The Brandon Moreno next fight news has arrived, and the king of the UFC flyweight division is set to make his long-awaited return in the co-main event of UFC 290 in July. And waiting for him will be a man he has fought and lost to twice before.
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Who will Brandon Moreno next fight be against?
At UFC 290, Brandon Moreno will take part in an unofficial trilogy bout with top flyweight contender Alexandre Pantoja. The pair have fought twice before — one being an exhibition bout — and the Brazilian is undefeated against the Mexican superstar. This will be another chance for Moreno to get vengeance over a man with victories over him.
How to watch Moreno vs Pantoja 3 on July 8
- Moreno vs Pantoja will serve as the co-main event of a card on July 8
- The bout will take place inside the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada
- The fight will air exclusively on the streaming service ESPN+
Brandon Moreno vs Alexandre Pantoja preview
Moreno has built his impressive resume on a career full of rematches. This upcoming bout will also be a runback with a former foe, however, it is against a fighter that has owned the “Assassin Baby” during a rivalry that dates back to 2016.
An official trilogy fight: Alexandre Pantoja has two wins over Moreno on his resume. The two first met during an exhibition bout on Season 24 of The Ultimate Fighter, which “The Cannibal” won by second-round submission. When they met again two years later, Pantoja scored another victory — this time by unanimous decision — and the loss ended up costing Moreno his job in the company.
Older and better: Both Moreno and Pantoja are far better competitors than the men they were when they last fought five years ago. The Mexican has become one of the greatest fighters in UFC flyweight history, while Pantoja has remained an elite competitor in the division over the last four years. The big question is, has Moreno grown enough as a fighter to finally beat his long-time rival in their third go-round?
The bottom line: Moreno vs Pantoja II should be an outstanding bout. The pair of flyweight stars are much better than they were when they first clashed but they both are willing to get dirty and go to war if need be. The matchup has fight-of-the-year potential.
What makes Brandon Moreno so popular?
Moreno is the first Mexican-born fighter to ever win a UFC title. His MMA story is one of perseverance in a career where many doubted his potential to be a top star in the sport. Now, after more than a decade as a cage fighter, Moreno is one of the best 125-pound fighters on the planet and the most popular MMA competitor from Mexico.
- Brandon Moreno record (overall): 21-6-2 (5 knockouts, 11 submissions)
- Brandon Moreno UFC record: 10-3-2
- “Assassin Baby” rose to notoriety as a contestant on Season 24 of The Ultimate Fighter
- Despite losing his first fight on TUF, Moreno impressed UFC decision-makers and was offered a contract several months after the show aired
- After a 3-2 run in the promotion, Moreno was one of several flyweight talents cut by the UFC during a time when the division seemed on the brink of being shuttered
- Following his release, Moreno successfully competed once for Legacy Fighting Alliance before he was offered a new UFC contract three months later
- Since his return, Moreno is 6-2-1 with his only defeat being to Figueiredo
- The four Brandon Moreno vs Deiveson Figueiredo bouts are viewed as the best series of fights in division history. Every matchup was highly competitive and each man has a win, loss, and draw.
Brandon Moreno net worth
The measure of a fighter is often in dollars and cents stacked up during a career of fisticuffs. After 11 years in combat sports, Brandon Moreno’s net worth is estimated to be $1.5 million.