Former UFC flyweight champion Brandon Moreno has provided an update on his possible return to the Octagon after he briefly retired earlier this year following a loss to Brandon Royval.
After losing his flyweight title to Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 290 last year, Brandon Moreno took a number-one contender fight against Brandon Royval earlier this year and unfortunately lost a split decision.
Following his second loss in a row, ‘The Assassin Baby’ announced that he was going to step away from MMA, with fans fearing that despite him saying he’d be back, he may never return.
Brandon Moreno provides an update on his return
Since his hiatus from fighting, the 30-year-old has continued to work for the UFC in a commentary role for their Spanish broadcast.
With UFC 306 set to take place on Mexican Independence Day weekend, fans have begun to speculate whether the former champion will return to fight on that monumental card.
The event takes place on September 14 from the Sphere in Las Vegas, and it will be the first and last time that the promotion holds an event in the unique venue.
Women’s flyweight champion, Alexa Grasso, is rumored to be defending her title on the monumental event, however, it is unlikely to be the main event.
Although he isn’t specifically eyeing the Noche UFC card as his comeback, Moreno has admitted that he is looking to return sooner rather than later.
“I really think I have more fights in my future, I want to make sure to be 100% for whatever happens in the future for me but I want to keep building my legacy for sure,” the former champion told The Schmo.
Moreno to stick at flyweight upon return despite bantamweight calls
Ahead of his impending return, ‘The Assassin Baby’ has stated that he will be sticking at 125lbs instead of moving up to bantamweight.
“Man, I’m too skinny for 135lbs, I don’t know why but a lot of people have been asking me about the 135lb division but I don’t have the size right now to do that.
“I’m still thinking I have a lot of things to do in the flyweight division. I want to fight but I don’t know where to be honest. I want to just make sure to be healthy,” Moreno added.
When the Mexican champion was at the top of the division, new matchups were hard to come by for him, and he found himself constantly in rematches.
He and Deiveson Figueiredo – who has since moved up to bantamweight – fought four times in the first quadrilogy in the promotion’s history and he also fought the current champion, Pantoja three times.
With that, the 30-year-old will likely have to fight new contenders upon his return, and fortunately for him and the fans, there are some new faces atop the 125lb division.
Amir Albazi currently occupies rank three in the division and he will likely need one more win before he is given a title shot. Highly touted Japanese prospect, Tatsuro Taira also broke his way into the top five recently with a win over Alex Perez, providing another possible matchup for Moreno.
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