Brandon Moreno is confident in his star power and believes he is the ideal headliner for UFC 320, the Noche UFC event scheduled for September 13 in Guadalajara, Mexico.
After his recent victory over Steve Erceg at UFC Mexico, Moreno immediately set his sights on a potential title shot in his next fight. The UFC`s announcement of the September pay-per-view just before his main event walkout felt like destiny, leading Moreno to pursue a fourth match against current flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja.
“Guadalajara is definitely the goal,” Moreno stated at the UFC Mexico post-fight press conference. “I think it’s perfect, even for the UFC and the promotion. If they want a pay-per-view Noche UFC event in September in Guadalajara, I believe I’m the right choice.”
Moreno’s logic for being the main attraction for a card celebrating Mexican Independence Day is compelling.
However, convincing the UFC to grant him another shot at Pantoja might be challenging, given their three previous encounters, all resulting in Pantoja victories. One loss was on The Ultimate Fighter, not officially on his record, but Moreno has lost to Pantoja in two subsequent fights, including the title bout in 2023 where Pantoja won the 125-pound championship.
Despite this history, Moreno believes his ability to draw crowds and his consistent performance in the flyweight division warrant consideration for a title opportunity.
“Today, I feel I have enough reasons to raise my hand and say I deserve to be the main event for the Guadalajara pay-per-view in September,” Moreno asserted.
“We’ll see what happens. I saw Hunter [Campbell], and he seemed very pleased with the crowd. The question is, how much impact do I have? Maybe not much. Flyweights constantly face this issue, which is frustrating. But I truly believe that every time I enter the octagon, the crowd goes wild. That’s undeniable. We’ll see what happens.”
UFC Mexico was a sold-out event with 19,731 attendees and the highest-grossing gate for a UFC Fight Night, earning over $2.53 million.
These factors strengthen Moreno`s case to headline the next major UFC event in Mexico.
Pantoja’s next title defense is yet to be scheduled, but indications suggest he will return before September, with potential contenders like Manel Kape and Kai Kara-France waiting.
Moreno’s future remains uncertain, but he is eager to compete in Mexico again, especially after securing his first win there following an 0-2-1 record in Mexico City early in his UFC career.
“Every time I lost in Mexico City, I was confused,” Moreno recalled. “I felt like I was doing everything right, but not getting the desired results. This time, I consciously pushed those thoughts aside, focused on the task, and put everything together.”
“Throughout fight week, I felt different – more experienced, more energetic. In the end, we secured the win, and I’m happy.”
