The UFC recently made its long-awaited return to Edmonton, marking the first event there since 2019, with former men’s flyweight champion Brandon Moreno headlining against Amir Albazi.

Moreno showcased impressive striking from a comfortable range, defended multiple takedown attempts, and even buckled Albazi’s knees a few times. With a decisive victory, Moreno is not only back in the win column but also back on track toward reclaiming the title.

A quick recap of Moreno vs Albazi

UFC Fight Night: Moreno vs. Albazi, held on November 2, 2024, at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, delivered a thrilling night of fights. The preliminary card kicked off with plenty of competitive matchups, including two notable finishes: Charles Jourdain and Youssef Zalal each scored second-round submissions.

The main card saw Canadian Mike Malott open with a decision win, followed by Jasmine Jasudavicius – Canada’s only ranked fighter on the card – who secured her third win of the year with a third-round D’Arce choke. Erin Blanchfield then achieved the biggest win of her career, prevailing in a five-round battle against former champ Rose “Thug” Namajunas.

But the night’s highlight belonged to Brandon Moreno, who closed the show with a dominant unanimous decision over rising talent Amir

Albazi. Coming off two consecutive decision losses to Alexandre Pantoja and Brandon Royval, this win was crucial for the 30-year-old Mexican. It puts the former champ back in the win column and renews his focus on regaining the title.

What’s next for Brandon Moreno?

Despite the doubts and setbacks, Brandon Moreno is a fighter who’s found a way to prove people wrong time and time again. If you remember back in 2017, he made a promise that seemed bold, maybe even a bit outlandish at the time: “Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, and maybe not next month, but only one thing is true; I will be champion one day. I promise.” Four years later, Moreno kept his word, becoming Mexico’s first UFC champion after defeating Deiveson Figueiredo in June 2021.

Now, even with a few recent losses on his record, Moreno’s still determined to climb his way back to the top. After his latest victory over Amir Albazi, he made it clear in his post-fight interview: “I want to be up to the top again. I want my title back.” And based on his track record, I wouldn’t start UFC betting against him. He’s done it before, and he’s clearly hungry to do it again.

But let’s be real: he’s probably not getting a title shot in his next fight. Brandon Royval is holding down the top contender position with a recent win over Moreno. So, what’s the most likely scenario? A win in his next fight, which will most likely be against #4 ranked Kara-France or #7 ranked Asu Almabayev, could secure Moreno another shot at the belt. And if he pulls that off, we could be looking at history in the making – a shot at becoming the first UFC fighter to hold the flyweight title three times. It’s not going to be easy, but after his recent masterclass performance, he might just have what it takes.

The flyweight rankings after Moreno vs Albazi

Here’s where the flyweight division stands following the Moreno vs. Albazi matchup:

  • Champion: Alexandre Pantoja
  • 1: Brandon Royval
  • 2: Brandon Moreno
  • 3: Amir Albazi
  • 4: Kai Kara-France
  • 5: Tatsuro Taira
  • 6: Alex Perez
  • 7: Asu Almabayev
  • 8: Steve Erceg (rank increased by 1)
  • 9: Manel Kape (rank decreased by 1)
  • 10: Tim Elliott (rank increased by 1)
  • 11: Tagir Ulanbekov (rank increased by 1)
  • 12: Bruno Silva (rank increased by 1)
  • 13: Charles Johnson (rank increased by 2)
  • 14: Cody Durden
  • 15: Matt Schnell
By Published On: November 5th, 2024Categories: Latest UFC News: Results, Rumors & More at Home Of Fight