Brandon Moreno was brought to the scorecards by Steve Erceg as he defeated the Australian in Mexico City.
A raucous crowd at the CDMX Arena were rewarded with an all-timer Fight Night card that included four knockouts and a submission, alongside some banger decisions. However, the crowd saved their biggest reaction for Moreno’s ring walk as he returned home.
The two-time flyweight champion was pushing towards one last chance at champion Alexandre Pantoja, who is expected to face Kai Kara-France next. Across the cage from him, though, was the returning Erceg, who knew a loss would all but end his shot at world title redemption.
The early exchanges between Steve Erceg and Brandon Moreno were tentative, as both men stayed behind their leg kicks and jabs to start. However, two minutes in the hometown hero had the crowd on his feet as a one-two rocked the Australian.
As the first round pushed on, it seemed that Moreno was landing big combinations at will, although Erceg was not without good shots of his own in bursts. Every time the Mexican landed at all, it made for big reactions from the rowdy audience.
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
The second was much more even as Erceg opened up a bit more and landed with a big kick early on. ‘Astro Boy’ certainly appeared to have earned the former champion’s respect as he was given time to work in the middle of the cage.
The third was a much more lethargic affair, both men clearly understanding that they would need gas further down the stretch in the championship rounds. Erceg appeared to be happy to get his work off on the back foot, but by the end of the fourth Moreno surprised viewers by shooting for a takedown.
Heading into the fifth round, it was a razor-close bout on many scorecards. Neither man pushed the pace too much but Moreno did end up on top to finish out the round as they headed to the judges.
All three judges’ scored the fight for Moreno, as he continued his winning ways before giving an emotional interview to Daniel Cormier.
UFC brass will have trouble awarding performance bonuses after watching a night filled with stoppages. Five of the 11 undercard bouts ended in finishes, with the decisions mostly being razor-close exciting contests.
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
Perhaps most frightening was the co-main event as Manuel Torres brutally knocked out Drew Dober with a combination that left fans begging the beloved American to retire. It followed a stunning and heartbreaking submission from Edgar Chairez that was dedicated to his late grandfather.
Elsewhere on the night, qualified surgeon David Martinez landed a dream debut victory over Saimon Oliveira. Ateba Gautier also announced himself on the big stage when he knocked out Jose Medina with a first round knee.
Brandon MorenoFlyweightSteve ErcegUFCUFC Mexico City
