Brandon Moreno is itching to get back in the Octagon. He’s tired of waiting for his next fight and is eager to return to action.
He suffered a hand injury in his split-decision title loss to Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 290 in July. This was his second career loss to “The Cannibal.”
But Moreno’s all healed up now. Despite this, there’s been little chatter about his next booking.
The Ultimate Fighting Championship did reach out to him. They mentioned a potential fight against rising contender Amir Albazi (17-1) in December. But nothing’s set in stone yet.
Moreno said, “They told me, Amir. They told me about December, but nothing was real, nothing was official. So right now, I’m waiting for a specific name to make it official. I know Amir is there. I think it’s the most logical fight in line for me with Amir. The winner can fight for the title in the next one. I know Amir is there.”
He admitted that the waiting game is frustrating. The UFC recently turned down his offer to serve as the backup for the upcoming UFC 296 title fight between Pantoja and Brandon Royval.
Moreno said, “That’s the most frustrating part here, because I’m healthy. I’ve been waiting for a fight. Actually, I put a little pressure with the UFC like, ‘Hey, I want to fight in December. I want to be active.’ If they needed, I could be the replacement for the title fight on Dec. 16, but they didn’t give me nothing. I tried to be very stoic and calm and relaxed. I’m just waiting for my moment. I’ve been using all this time to improve myself.”
There are rumors that the promotion might return to Mexico in 2024. This could be why Moreno’s next booking is delayed. While fighting in front of his home fans would be an honor for the Tijuana native, he is keen on returning to action as soon as possible.
He said, “If it’s in Mexico in front of my people, it would be very cool. Obviously, the altitude in Mexico City is a real challenge. I have to be prepared for that. But I’m ready. I’ve been the champion in the past and I know I can be the champion again. I just have to be calm, focused and ready for whatever is happening in the future. But January, February – I’m in.”
Ranked No. 3 on the flyweight ladder, Iraq’s Albazi is undefeated in five UFC outings. He’s coming off a split-decision win over former interim title contender Kai Kara-France in June.