MEXICO CITY – Brandon Moreno held the “Viva Mexico” in for too long. Saturday, he finally let it out.
In the UFC on ESPN 64 main event, Moreno (24-8-2 MMA, 12-4-2 UFC) defeated Steve Erceg (12-5 MMA, 3-4 UFC) by unanimous decision. The victory was his first on home soil in the UFC and his first overall since his third pro bout in January 2012.
“Man, I have so many emotions, man,” Moreno told MMA Junkie and other reporters at a post-fight news conference. “The first time I fought here was 2017 against Sergio Pettis. It was a main event and I lost. I’ve been holding this ‘Viva Mexico’ for so long, and I finally did it tonight. I’m just happy, man. I’m just enjoying this moment. I felt all the fight week, everything feels just different. I have experience. I have the energy. At the end, I just executed. So I’m happy.”
Moreno turned a solo win over Amir Albazi in November into a two-fight winning streak. In a division where contendership is largely up for grabs, Moreno thinks he may have done enough to headline the freshly announced UFC 320 event, Sept. 13 in Guadalajara, Mexico.
“How confident I am?” Moreno said. “I don’t even know. I know nothing right now. I’m just happy, enjoying the moment. Let’s see what happens. I saw Hunter and he looked very happy with the people, with the crowd. That’s the thing. Who knows how much I move the needle? Maybe not too much. Flyweights, always with the same problem. That’s crazy. But I really believe every single time I step in the octagon, the people go crazy. That’s the fact. Let’s see what happens.”
“…. That’s the goal. Guadalajara, I think it’s perfect. Even for the UFC, for the promotion. If they want to get a pay-per-view event for Noche UFC in September in Guadalajara, I think I’m the right choice. … I feel today I have enough arguments to raise my hand and say, ‘Hey, I can be the main event, the pay-per-view in Guadalajara in September.”
The status of the next title fight at flyweight in the UFC is unknown. Champion Alexandre Pantoja was rumored to face Kai Kara-France in April in Miami but that fight is not happening then. Now, it’s rumored for June in Newark, N.J. – which remains to be seen.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 64.
