The Brandon Moreno next fight news has finally arrived and the former UFC flyweight king is set to make his return to the Octagon in February. When he steps back inside the cage the Mexican star will be competing in his home country against a former foe.
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Who will Brandon Moreno next fight be against?
Following his frustrating split-decision title fight loss to Alexandre Pantoja in July, Moreno will finally be back in action this month. Due to his stature in the division the former champion will only face elite competition and he will get just that in February against recent title challenger Brandon Royval.
The pair of ranked flyweights fought four years ago at UFC 255. “Assassin Baby” won that bout and the victory set up his first of four eventual fights with former division king Deiveson Figueiredo.
How to watch Moreno vs Royval II in February
- Moreno vs. Royval II will headline a UFC Fight Night card on Feb. 24
- The event will take place inside the Mexico City Arena in Mexico
- The fight will air exclusively on the streaming service ESPN+
Brandon Moreno vs Brandon Royval II preview
Moreno vs. Royval is a huge matchup at flyweight with both men considered two of the very best 125-pounders in the world. While Moreno does not have a great case for a title fight after losing twice to the current champion, Alexandre Pantoja, a dominant victory in February could make a championship opportunity undeniable.
Home crowd advantage: Royval will be deep in enemy territory when he faces Moreno in their rematch. Mexico has a long history of legendary competitors in fight sports. However, there is no doubt that Moreno is the greatest MMA fighter the country has ever had. The support for him will be massive on fight night and will be a unique advantage to help him push through any difficult moments against Royval.
Pressure: Both men are coming off losses to Pantoja. If either hopes to get a title fight later this year, or early in 2025, they need to win this fight. A defeat here could be a massive setback to their title hopes, so this clash will have a title fight level of pressure for both men who are deep into their fighting careers.
Brandon Moreno vs. Brandon Royval II betting odds: Moreno (-298), Royval ( +240)
The bottom line: The former champion is in a difficult position. Due to having three (one is unofficial) losses to the current champion, a victory won’t get him a title shot. But he must maintain his focus and score a big win to build momentum to eventually get another championship opportunity, possibly in 2025.
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): 21-7-2 (5 knockouts, 11 submissions)
- Brandon Moreno UFC record: 10-4-2
- Brandon Moreno height: 5-foot-7
- “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 million.
How old was Brandon Moreno when he started MMA?
The former UFC flyweight king actually made his MMA debut back in 2011. What makes it all the more impressive is that he became a professional cage fighter at the shocking age of 17 years old.
What martial art does Brandon Moreno use?
Brandon Moreno does not heavily lean on any specific martial art, however, his strongest base art early in his career was Brazilian jiu-jitsu. But he has rounded out his game over the last five years and is a complete MMA fighter now.