Athletes
Brandon Moreno Has Found The Perfect Balance
Two-Time Former UFC Flyweight Champion Brandon Moreno Says He's In The Perfect Place To Mount A Charge Back To The Undisputed 125-Pound Title
Two-time former UFC flyweight champion Brandon Moreno returns to main event action on home soil, and he does so after discovering a rare balance of youth and experience in the Octagon.
At the age of 31, Moreno has plenty of fighting years still ahead of him, but a look at his career shows that he's already achieved a full career's worth of accomplishments.
The knowledge that he's already blessed with such experience, and he's achieved so much, while still very much in his fighting prime, is something that has only given Moreno more excitement and energy as he prepares to play a starring role against Steve Erceg on home soil on Saturday night at Arena CDMX.
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"It's weird because in other fights, a lot of people were talking about that," he said.
"Like, 'Brandon Moreno has a lot of time fighting in the company, he has so many fights in the UFC, so he has a lot of experience.' But I don't feel like I had the ability to take advantage of that experience before.
"But now, after my last fight against (Amir) Albazi in Canada, now I can feel how that experience can work in my benefit. So I'm just excited to fight against Steve. I know he's very motivated to fight against me. So it's gonna be a nice fight."
Moreno explained that his years of experience through two UFC runs has given him the trust in his own abilities, and the knowledge that he is one of the best flyweight fighters on the planet.
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"I think (it's helped) with the confidence. Because, man, I have so many years in this game, it's definitely not my first rodeo!" he grinned.
"I think (it's given me) the confidence to understand that I'm really good. The confidence to understand I can take the fight where I want to take it. So I think that's the difference.
"I feel I’m in an amazing moment. I feel very young, but, at the same time, I have so many years doing this. So it's amazing, between being young and having the experience.
"I think when you start this game, you are very young and very excited, full of energy, but you don't have the experience. And the other side, though, the opposite side, is when you have all the experience of the game, but your body starts to feel not the same.
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"So, right now, I feel in an amazing balance. I feel I’m in the best shape of my life. I feel in my prime, and I have to show it. I have to execute, like my coaches say, but I'm ready to do it."
Moreno heads into his Mexico City homecoming having bounced back from two agonizingly close defeats.
Crowning Moment | Brandon Moreno
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Crowning Moment | Brandon Moreno
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He lost his flyweight title to Alexandre Pantoja via split decision at UFC 290, then an attempt to earn a quick rematch saw him lose another split decision, this time to fellow contender Brandon Royval.
It put Moreno on a two-fight skid and in serious need of a result, and against Amir Albazi in Edmonton, Canada, he got one as he produced an excellent display to hand "The Prince" only the second defeat of his career.
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For a former champion like Moreno, whose defeats to Pantoja and Royval both came via the slimmest of margins, he could be forgiven for thinking that he should now be in line for a title shot.
But, despite not getting the chance to rematch Pantoja for the belt, Moreno is staying positive, and said that he hasn't let frustration creep in ahead of his upcoming meeting with Erceg.
"I know the state of the flyweight division right now," he said.
"It's a lot of fighters, a lot of contenders, trying to get the opportunity for the title.
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"I know I was the champion. I know I had the opportunity before. So I was very, very conscious to understand that maybe I had to fight one or two more times in the future.
"So, that's what I'm doing right now. I fought Albazi. I won. I got the victory. Now I want to get this one on Saturday, and after that, let's see what happens."
The win over Albazi saw the confidence return to Moreno's game as he showed some of the skill that helped take him to the top of the flyweight division.
"It was very important to get my confidence back," he admitted.
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"To understand, like I said before, that I'm good at doing this.
"I had to spend some time with myself, with my family, to understand that. But now, man, I get it, and I understand I can still do amazing things in this company."
Backed by the experience of a veteran, and the energy of a fighter with plenty of gas still in the tank, the man who made history as Mexico's first UFC world champion says he is ready to make another run towards the undisputed flyweight title.
And to ensure he doesn't get distracted along the way, he's adopting a tunnel-vision approach to his career. What's gone is gone. Now it's all about what's coming next.
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"My main focus right now is, don't even think of the past," he said.
"I'm just trying to be very focused on Steve Erceg. He's a very dangerous opponent. I think he's very motivated, because he's coming for a big moment in the company, so I think he's gonna (try to get) that victory again.
"So, with that being said, again, I'm not thinking about the past, I'm trying to be very, very focused on my present, and that's it.
"A lot of people think he won that fight against Pantoja. Right now he's not in his best moment – he came from a loss with Kai Kara-France. But that makes a fighter very dangerous, because he wants to win. He wants to get the title opportunity again in the future.
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"He knows if he beats me this Saturday, it can be a really good step for that goal in the future. He's a really good boxer, good distance, a good jiu-jitsu, good ground game."
Moreno is laser-focused on getting the victory on Saturday, and his motivation is only heightened by the knowledge that he'll be competing on home soil, backed by a packed arena of passionate Mexican fight fans.
"Man, I feel so happy to come back to Mexico City," he said.
"These kind of moments in my life define what kind of fighter I am. So, to fight in front of my people here in Mexico, here in my country, it's always a special moment for me.
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"Mexican fighters, Mexican fans, we are the best. That's it.
"I can say a lot of different things about it, but, man, we love our combat sports. We love our culture. We love our traditions, and combat sports is a huge tradition of Mexico, so that's it."
For all that he's already achieved in his incredible career, Moreno still has plenty more to give, and plenty more he still wants to achieve. And nothing would make him prouder than to capture the undisputed flyweight title for a third time, then come home to defend the title on home soil.
"Man, that's my goal. That sounds amazing," he said.
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"A few fighters tried before, they (fell) a little bit short, but now I have that opportunity, the right path, to do it. But again, the present is to be focused on Erceg. But yes, man, that's my goal, for sure."
And when asked what fans should expect when he takes on Erceg, all Moreno could do was smile.
"Fireworks!" he grinned. “I don't know nothing but fireworks in my career!"
UFC Fight Night: Moreno vs Erceg took place live from Arena CDMX in Mexico City on March 29, 2025. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!
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