Former champion Brandon Moreno is a scrappy Mexican fighter with incredible jiu-jitsu skills and a seamless ability to blend striking and grappling. His path to success in the UFC was not straightforward; after participating in the reality show ‘The Ultimate Fighter: Tournament of Champions’ and facing some ups and downs in his career, Moreno demonstrated his resilience and ability to become a two-time flyweight champion.

But a major part of his success has also been played by his teammates and coaching staff. And his journey tells a story as dramatic as any fight he’s been in. With that in mind, let’s break down Moreno’s current training setup, his move to Fortis MMA, and the coach who helped steady his career when chaos threatened to derail it, ahead of his UFC 323 clash against Tatsuro Taira!

Where does Brandon Moreno train?

After becoming the first Mexican flyweight champion, Moreno made a switch from Entram Gym in Tijuana to James Krause’s team. But just a year after training under Krause, Moreno decided to split and cut all communication with his coach, with his fourth title fight against Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC 283 being just a month away.

But why did he make the sudden switch? Well, the reason was the UFC and the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) putting a ban on fighters who were being trained by the Glory MMA & Fitness coach. A truly stunning move that came after investigations began on James Krause for possible insider betting.

The sudden split truly left a sour taste in the mouth for Brandon Moreno. His manager, Jason House even considered pulling ‘The Assassin Baby’ out of the fight against Deiveson Figueiredo. However, things improved when Fortis MMA’s Sayif Saud joined in as the replacement head coach. And while many believed that because of the late switch, Moreno would face trouble inside the Octagon, that proved to be far from the truth.

Instead, Moreno won his bout against Figueiredo via TKO in round 5 of the match. This sets the stage for the next part of the story, as we shift our focus over to the coach who helped steady the ship.

Who is Sayif Saud? Brandon Moreno’s current head coach and mentor

Brandon Moreno’s relationship with Sayif Saud, the founder of Fortis MMA, didn’t begin under ideal circumstances. 

Weighing in on the James Krause incident, Saud said, “I never wanted to hop on someone else’s work, that’s not my style. But this wasn’t Brandon’s fault. I saw him trying to find his way as a young man in all of this. He’s someone that needed help, and I was in a position to help him.”

Talking to Ariel Helwani, Saud said, “Moreno is always fighting against the best, but he was tired after so many fights. It was so good for him to take a break, he’s so much happier now.”

Sayif Saud was a 2-time state champion in Judo and 4-time national champion in karate during the 1990s. 

Had MMA taken a boost by then, we definitely would have witnessed his skills in the cage. However, an ACL tear forced him out of the race when he was 28. Now, he manages Fortis MMA in Dallas, with 23 well-known fighters training under him.

Brandon Moreno’s boxing training with Jorge Capetillo and sparring partners

Fortis MMA, founded in 2017, now houses an elite roster and is known for discipline, structure, and a no-nonsense approach. It’s the kind of environment ‘The Assassin Baby’ needed at a critical point in his career.

Of course, Moreno’s team is bigger than one coach. His style has always been built on a blend of fast scrambles, sharp boxing combinations, and high fight IQ. 

To maintain that balance, Moreno supplements his training with focused boxing work under Jorge Capetillo, a respected boxing trainer known for working with world-class talent. At Capetillo’s gym, Moreno often trains alongside Jose “Shorty” Torres, sharpening his defensive reactions and improving his counter-punching.

Just like his long-time training partners Marcelo Rojo and Masio Fullen, Moreno decided to join a different MMA gym than Saud’s. So Moreno is now also a part of Cobrinha BJJ Academy in Las Vegas, where the head coach is Professor Hector Vasquez, who won 5 World Championship titles, 4 Pan American titles, and the 5X & 2017 American Nationals Champion.

Now, as he prepares for Tatsuro Taira at UFC 323, the big question becomes: Will this evolved, refocused version of Brandon Moreno rise back to championship form?