UFC Flyweight Champion Brandon Moreno is expecting a completely different version of his rival Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC 270.
Moreno earned the title over Figueiredo at UFC 263 last year in a dominant performance that led to a submission victory. He and Figueiredo fought to a majority draw in their first matchup, with Figueiredo retaining the belt.
Now that Moreno is the flyweight champion, he appears extra focused ahead of his massive trilogy with Figueiredo. It's arguably one of the biggest trilogies in UFC history and the first of its kind in the flyweight division.
But Moreno's game plan might change a bit entering UFC 270. During his UFC 270 pre-fight press conference, he alluded to expecting a different Figueiredo this time around.
"I'm expecting, maybe a combination of both. You know, with Figueiredo trying to be a little bit more smart," Moreno said. "But at the same time, trying to get that skill… I feel like the biggest ability of Figueiredo is he's big, he punch hard, and he's very intimidating, you know, he tried to intimidate all of his opponents in the Octagon. So I'm expecting the same wild fighter, but a little bit more smart, at the same time."
Brandon Moreno Had A Long Road To The Title
After falling short of a championship on The Ultimate Fighter, Moreno had to take the long journey to the title shot in the UFC. He went on to win his first few UFC bouts, before back-to-back losses to Alexandre Pantoja and Sergio Pettis.
This would prove to be a turning point in Moreno's career. He would go on to earn dominant wins over the likes of former LFA champion Brandon Royval, Kai Kara-France, and Jussier Formiga in the Octagon.
Moreno also used to train with former flyweight champion Henry Cejudo, before their alleged falling out. Figueiredo now trains with Cejudo and has called for revenge on behalf of the former flyweight king.
Moreno's journey to champion status has been unique, but arguably the toughest part of his quest looms ahead of his trilogy with Figueiredo. With another win over the former champion, he can cement himself as an all-time great flyweight.
What is your prediction for Brandon Moreno vs. Deiveson Figueiredo 3?