The fight between Brandon Moreno and Brandon Royval, the top contenders for the Flyweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), will take place THIS SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2024, inside Arena CDMX in Mexico City.
After two years, Moreno won his Flyweight title through fierce competition for the second time. With so many back-and-forth bouts, a lengthy “Assassin Baby” title reign seems improbable at this point, but Moreno is still more than capable of winning the title a third time.
Table of Contents
While Royval’s loss to Alexandre Pantoja was much more one-sided, he is also trying to bounce back. Nevertheless, “Raw Dog” is among the most erratic finishers in the division, and he’s seeking retribution for losing his first opportunity to upset Moreno in November 2020 due to a shoulder injury (watch it).
Let’s examine the secrets of success for each man in more detail:
Brandon Moreno
Record: 21-7-1
Key Victories: Jussier Formiga (UFC Fight Night 170), Dusty Ortiz (UFC Fight Night 108), Kai Kara-France (UFC 277), Brandon Royval (UFC 255), Deiveson Figueiredo (UFC 283, UFC 263), and Kai Kara-France (UFC 245)
Notable Losses: Sergio Pettis (UFC Fight Night 114), Deiveson Figueiredo (UFC 270), and Alexandre Pantoja (UFC 290, UFC Fight Night 129).
Essentials for Winning: Even though Moreno has honed every technical aspect of his style over the years, the man still has a deep-seated love for sparring as a fighter. Thankfully, he possesses the best jab in the division and an iron jaw, which come in handy during the blood-and-guts fights that Moreno frequently finds himself in.
Using his wrestling advantage, Moreno had early success in the first fight. There is a distinction between the two in terms of pure wrestling ability and physicality, and Moreno has the advantage in both areas. While Royval’s shoulder injury was unlucky, Moreno’s forceful blow to the canvas caused it, and Moreno’s victory over “Raw Dog” was undoubtedly no coincidence.
Moreno should press Royval to put him on the defensive, in my opinion. Although that is uncharted territory for Royval, Moreno can make it happen with his quick reflexes and jab. In combination, the second Royval holds his ground to deliver a blow that should be the ideal takedown opportunity. Although the guillotine must be avoided, Moreno can control Royval and wear him out with pressure passing once he gains the upper hand.
Brandon Royval
Record: 15–7
Important Victories: Tim Elliott (UFC Vegas 1), Alexander Pantoja (UFC 296, UFC Vegas 34), and Matt Schnell (UFC 274), Kali Kara-France (UFC 253), Matheus Nicolau (UFC Kansas City).
Notable Losses: Casey Kenney (LFA 53), Brandon Moreno (UFC 255).
Essentials for Winning: Royval is disarray. As he’s moved up the ranks, the lanky Southpaw seems to be standing back a bit more, but when he unleashes an offensive flurry, his unpredictable mix of punches, kicks, and knees can deal serious damage. Oh, and he has numerous tapout victories under his belt in jiu-jitsu.
Royval needs to simply maintain the fight’s uprightness. Simply put, there aren’t many chances to win on his back. There simply isn’t going to be an angle from guard unless Royval injures Moreno first because he is too proficient on the floor.
Royval can deal damage and win this battle. With his long kicks at a distance, his close-range knees and elbows, and his lengthy combinations in the pocket, he can really take down an opponent in kickboxing. Royval can start hitting Moreno’s body and legs while pressuring the former champion into unfavorable shots and defending takedown attempts if he can maintain his footing. Even though Moreno is extremely strong, he becomes less of a fighter after receiving several low kicks and capturing knees to the abdomen.
Bottom Line
It could be a title eliminator for the Flyweight division. Hopefully not, though. In their most current fight, Moreno and Royval both fell short against Alexandre Pantoja, so it would be premature to run it back. However, there aren’t many excellent options at 125 pounds, so it’s not out of the question that the winner of this fight will run into Pantoja again.
Naturally, there are a lot on the line because this could be a title eliminator. In order to keep his hopes of moving up the ladder alive, Royval wants to avoid losing back-to-back games and going 0–4 against Moreno and Pantoja. On the other hand, Moreno, a well-liked former champion who hasn’t dropped a fight since 2018, is unwilling to back down.
People also Reading:
For the program’s first victory over a ranked team, No. 15 Creighton defeats No. 1 UConn.
UNR defeats UNLV after a late lead.
NFC title game: 49ers come back to defeat the Lions and advance to Super Bowl LVIII
The Colts’ Jonathan Taylor blows a hope against the Texans.
Rafael Nadal triumphs in the first hard-court singles match of the year
Manchester City wins the Club World Cup, creating history.
