Brandon Moreno believes he’s done enough for another shot at UFC Champion Alexandre Pantoja.
At 31 years old, the two-time UFC Flyweight Champion is hungry to get his belt back after losing it to Alexandre Pantoja a little more than two years ago.
Moreno gave rival Pantoja one of his absolute toughest fights at UFC 290 in 2023, unable to secure the decision victory across five rounds as two out of the three judges scored the fight for Pantoja.
Fast forward to now, ‘The Assassin Baby’ is riding back-to-back wins over Amir Albazi and former title challenger Steve Erceg. Moreno was cageside for Pantoja’s successful title defense against Kai Kara-France at UFC 317, where he had looked for a sign that he was next in line for the title.
While the camera panned to Moreno at one point, it was Joshua Van who faced off with the victorious Pantoja inside the Octagon. Van had called for the moment after the 23-year-old defeated no. 1 contender Brandon Royval in the previous fight.
How does Moreno feel about Van potentially beating him to a title shot?
Brandon Moreno says he deserves title fight, so does Joshua Van
Moreno says his fighting career is in a ‘really weird position’ right now.
Stuck trying to get a fight, Moreno has made it clear he thinks he’s deserving of a UFC title opportunity against the champion Pantoja.
“I don’t have like, really nothing,” Moreno said of his situation on the Jaxxon Podcast.
“I don’t know what’s happening. I’m not in hell, I’m in limbo. I don’t have a fight coming soon…
“After I beat Albazi and Erceg, who did an amazing fight against Alexandre Pantoja, I think I deserve opportunity at the title.
“But again, the division is a little bit weird right now because we have Van. He did an amazing job in his last fight. We have Manel Kape. We have myself with a lot of good arguments to try to get a fight for the title. So it’s weird.”
Despite his role in all of this, Moreno wouldn’t snub Van of a title fight either. Van is 8-1 in the promotion and ranked #1 in the flyweight division.
“I think at the end [of the day], he just beat the number one in the rankings, that’s why he deserves the fight for the title,” Moreno said of Van.
“I [met] him in Kansas City when I was running, training in Glory MMA. I meet him there and we train a little together. I don’t have nothing bad to say against him. He’s a very cool dude. He deserves what he’s getting right now, but, man, at the end [of the day], we are here in a competition,” Moreno added.
Brandon Moreno confirms he won’t fight at Noche UFC
In flyweight ‘limbo’, many thought Moreno’s next stop would be at Noche UFC on Sept. 13.
The third annual Noche UFC event, commemorating the Mexican fighting spirit and Mexican Independence Day, was initially set to go down in Guadalajara, Mexico, but was ultimately moved to San Antonio, Texas.
Moreno, one of the greatest Mexican fighters of all time, wasn’t asked to fight on the card.
“September 13th is Noche UFC but I don’t have nothing,” Moreno said regarding fight offers.
“Don’t have any official offer from these guys. So, that’s why I’m trying to take advantage of this free time to [get better].
“But at the same time, man, I’m dying trying to get into a fight…
“I can be the champion again,” said Moreno.