Brandon Moreno is confident in his star appeal and believes he is the best choice to headline UFC 320, the Noche UFC event scheduled for Guadalajara, Mexico, on September 13.
Following his victory over Steve Erceg at UFC Mexico, Moreno immediately expressed his desire for another shot at the flyweight title. Just before his main event walkout, the UFC announced the September pay-per-view in Mexico, which Moreno saw as a sign to pursue a fourth fight against current champion Alexandre Pantoja.
“Guadalajara is definitely the goal,” Moreno said at the UFC Mexico post-fight press conference. “I think it’s perfect, especially for the UFC and promotion. If they want a pay-per-view Noche UFC event in September in Guadalajara, I’m the ideal headliner.”
It`s hard to disagree with Moreno`s reasoning, especially when considering the need for a major local draw for a card celebrating Mexican Independence Day.
However, Moreno might face the challenge of persuading the UFC to grant him another title opportunity against Pantoja, given his three previous losses to the champion. One of these losses was on The Ultimate Fighter, which doesn`t count on his official record, but Moreno has still lost twice to Pantoja, including in the 2023 title fight.
Despite this, Moreno is banking on his ability to attract a large audience and his consistent performance in the flyweight division to warrant consideration for the title shot.
“I feel I’ve proven today that I deserve to be the main event for the Guadalajara pay-per-view in September,” Moreno stated.
“We’ll see what happens. I saw Hunter [Campbell], and he seemed very happy with the fans and the atmosphere. It’s always the question with flyweights – how much impact do we have? But I truly believe every time I enter the octagon, the crowd goes wild. That’s a fact. Let`s see what comes next.”
UFC Mexico was a sold-out event with 19,731 fans and set a new record for the highest-grossing UFC Fight Night gate, earning over $2.53 million.
These factors are definitely in Moreno`s favor as he pushes to headline the next major UFC event in Mexico.
As for Pantoja, his next title defense hasn`t been scheduled yet, but indications suggest he will return before September, with potential challengers like Manel Kape and Kai Kara-France waiting.
The future remains uncertain for Moreno, but he is eager to compete in Mexico again, particularly after securing his first victory there following a previous 0-2-1 record in Mexico City.
“Every time I lost in Mexico City, I was confused,” Moreno reflected. “I felt like I was doing everything right and still not getting the results. This time, I cleared my mind, focused, and put it all together.”
“Throughout this fight week, everything felt different. I had the experience and the energy, and ultimately, we got the win. I’m very happy.”
