Ex-UFC Champ Brandon Moreno Gets New Opponent for UFC Fight Night in Mexico City

The main event will see Moreno square off with another top UFC flyweight contender.

Former UFC flyweight titleholder Brandon Moreno has a new opponent for the headlining bout of a UFC Fight Night event that will take place in Mexico City on February 24.

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The UFC’s long-awaited return to Mexico City was huge news for fight fans after last year’s Noche UFC event took place in Las Vegas, and the card was given a pivotal flyweight main event between Mexico’s Moreno and #2-ranked Amir Albazi.

The matchup would have given Albazi a chance to add to his six-fight win streak and possibly earn a shot at the UFC flyweight title, but unfortunately “The Prince” announced that he had to withdraw from the fight due to a neck injury.

Im out of the fight against moreno 24th of february. I have been dealing with a serious neck injury the past weeks. After some scans the UFC doctors decided to pull me out of the fight immediately. I want to apologize to the fans and the @ufc. I will be back inshallah

— The Prince (@AmirAlbazi) January 12, 2024

Losing one half of the Mexico City main event just over a month out from the card put the UFC in a difficult spot, but luckily #3-ranked Brandon Royval quickly stepped up to replace Albazi and will now take on Moreno on February 24.

REEMPLAZO🚨 Tenemos nueva estelar en peso mosca para #UFCMexico ‼️

Brandon Moreno vs @brandonroyval

BOLETOS A LA VENTA ESTE LUNES 15 DE ENERO✅ MAS INFO👉 https://t.co/X5PdgSkga0 pic.twitter.com/YJ2FDgOSd8

— UFC Español (@UFCEspanol) January 12, 2024

“Raw Dawg” is coming off a failed bid to claim the flyweight belt from Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 296, but prior to that Royval was on a three-fight win streak that included back-to-back finishes in the first round.

Moreno and Royval previously met in 2020 at UFC 255, where “The Assassin Baby” capitalized on his opponent’s shoulder injury to end the fight with strikes late in the first round before he took on Deiveson Figueiredo for the first time later that year.

The headlining bout in Mexico City will be Moreno’s first fight since he lost the flyweight title to Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 290, and the card also features former interim flyweight champ Yair Rodriguez taking on Brian Ortega in the co-main event.

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