Following the events of UFC 263, the Ultimate Fighting Championship has a brand new flyweight champion in Brandon Moreno. His story of going from Ultimate Fighter contestant to UFC prospect, to fired, to re-hired, and now the king of mixed martial arts in his native Mexico is already legendary. And the man isn’t even 30 yet. The question now is, what should be next chapter in the incomparable tale of “The Assassin Baby”? Well, the options vary mattering on what you consider sexy in a UFC title booking. Nevertheless, if it’s a new addition in Moreno’s UFC story, then it won’t disappoint.
Brandon Moreno’s next fight should be Askar Askarov
Yes, I get it. For many fans, Askar Askarov isn’t a sexy name next after Moreno’s historic championship win. In today’s UFC, champions are following-up title wins with cross-division super-fights and dreams of adding their name to the champ-champ list. However, if anyone in the promotion is deserving of a championship opportunity it’s the men’s flyweight “Bullet.”
First, the 28-year-old is unbeaten at 14-0. This includes three UFC wins over ranked competitors in Tim Elliott, Alexandre Pantoja, and flyweight great Joseph Benavidez. That’s a strong Octagon hit list that consists of two top-five fighters. What makes a pairing of Askarov and Moreno all the more interesting is it would be a rematch. The new champion’s return to the UFC, after his 2019 release, was also Askarov’s promotional debut. And the former ACB flyweight champion and Moreno battled to a draw in a hard fought scrap at altitude in Mexico City.
That is the only fight Askarov has not logged a win in during his UFC stint. Same for Moreno, outside of his first bout with Deiveson Figueiredo. The big hitch in this scenario is Askarov is scheduled to face former title challenger, and fourth-ranked 125-pounder, Alex Perez at the end of July. If Perez hands the native of Daegestan his first L then this point is moot. However, if Askarov scored another W on a top-five talent then him not being in a title fight next would be a booking injustice.
Is Alexandre Pantoja Moreno’s Kryptonite?
I’ll be the first person to tell you that Moreno is not the same fighter he was a few years ago. Heck, he proved in his rematch with Figueiredo that he even got better in the six-months after their first fight. He is legitimately the best flyweight on earth right now. With that said, history can’t be denied and Alexandre Pantoja has beaten the champ not once, but twice. The first time coming when the pair squared off on season 24 of The Ultimate Fighter. In that fight, the Brazilian submitted Moreno in under two rounds. The second time came in 2018, with “The Cannibal” earning a unanimous decision win. Both were highly competitive.
The booking is also an easy sell as Pantoja could claim he owns space in the champions head after defeating him twice, and Moreno would have a chance at adding to his growing legend by proving he has blown by Pantoja in talent and only gets better. While his rival has hit a ceiling just below him. Like the Askarov scenario, Pantoja is also booked for a fight soon. That being a “fight of the night” contender scrap with Brandon Royval in August. If Pantoja can upend a seriously talented fighter in Royval, and move to 8-3 in the Octagon, he would have one heck of a case to make for a golden third trilogy with Moreno.
Save the trilogy talk and show ‘No Love’ some catchweight love
In a recent interview with MMAFighting, Moreno was not all that jazzed about a possible third fight with former champion Figueiredo. Saying a trilogy bout could be something we see, “Maybe in the future.” And he’s right in lacking interest in competing against the same man three straight times. Especially, since it could be argued he won the first fight and then dominated in the rematch. So if not not Askarov, Pantoja, or Figueiredo, are there any other worthwhile options?
The UFC loves a good “money fight,” so now may be the time to finally pull the trigger on former bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt moving down in weight, with a caveat. That being to have the fight at a catchweight. Simply put, Garbrandt does not deserve a title fight against Moreno. We don’t even know if he can make the flyweight limit. Look at the illegal lengths another bantamweight in TJ Dillashaw had to go to make 125 pounds.
A catchweight at 130 pounds is a win-win for everybody. The champ gets to cut a little less, not defend his hard earned title against an undeserving challenger, competes under a nice spotlight, and can add a great name to his resume. While “No Love,” a loser in four of his last five, can prove he can at least cut down to 130, and prove he is deserving of title fight rematch by doing what no one has in three years and beat Moreno. See, win-win.
