Brandon Moreno and How He Carries the Hopes of Mexico on his Shoulders

Published 06/11/2021, 3:32 PM EDT

UFC flyweight contender Brandon Moreno will challenge Deiveson Figueiredo for his flyweight for the second time in as many years. The five-foot-seven Mexican put up one of the greatest displays of his career on December 12th, 2020.

The venue was UFC 256, and their title fight was the main event. Tony Ferguson and Charles Oliveira also featured on the card, making it one of the best events of 2020. Moreno and Figueiredo did not disappoint as they went back and forth in a five-round affair that saw everyone losing their minds over it.

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Figueiredo was the overwhelming favorite ahead of the fight, and no one gave Moreno any chance. The champion had just defended his title three weeks ago against Alex Perez at UFC 255. He submitted Perez within two minutes of the fight and was ready for a quick turnaround. However, the bookmakers still believed gave Figueiredo the favorite tag as Moreno was a +250 underdog for the fight.

However, Moreno had built his entire career on his resilience and his personality. People loved the man donning the gloves, and aside from the massive support he got from his Mexican countrymen, he got a lot of new fans after the Figueiredo fight.

Their war ended up being a draw after five rounds, and the UFC president Dana White announced that a rematch was in the works the very same night. They finally fight again on Saturday.

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Brandon Moreno and his Mexican roots

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Moreno was born in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. His family had a modest pinata business. However, when Moreno joined a gym to lose weight at the age of 12, big things were in motion. He fought his first three fights in Tijuana, losing once and winning twice.

Even though he might not have the best record, people took a chance on him wherever he went. Unfortunately, the UFC cut him when he lost two fights in a row in 2018. However, Moreno didn’t let that setback stop, and he went and captured the LFA Flyweight Championship, prompting an immediate return to the UFC.

He hasn’t lost a fight ever since then, and every time he fights, good things tend to happen. Mexico finally has a likable superstar they can get behind, and they have accepted him with open arms. Will he go one step further and beat Deiveson Figueiredo? Only time will answer that.

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Written by:

Aniket Awasthi is a UFC author at EssentiallySports. This STEM undergraduate combines an insatiable urge to write with his admiration for MMA and the UFC in general to enhance his journalism. He calls charismatic names like Chael Sonnen and 'The Count' Michael Bisping as his favorite fighters, but he is a great admirer of the rise of Israel Adesanya ever since he fought Rob Wilkinson at UFC 221.

Brandon Moreno and How He Carries the Hopes of Mexico on his Shoulders

Brandon Moreno and his Mexican roots

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