Brandon Moreno, the first Mexican champion in UFC history, grabbed a narrow split decision victory over Joseph Morales at UFC Fight Night 288, dodging the first three-fight losing skid of his career. It was a crossroads moment for Moreno in the co-main event on Saturday, with everything on the line against a determined opponent at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Ariz. Moreno secured the win with scores of 28-29, 30-27, and 30-27, proving he still belongs at the top of the 125-pound division.
A Three-Round War Against Morales
Moreno didn’t get anything easy over the full three rounds. He exploded out of the gate in the first, absolutely firing with powerful boxing combinations that clearly made Morales uncomfortable right away. But Morales, tough as nails, settled in, managing to get Moreno into some offensive grappling and even holding his own in the striking exchanges. The pace cranked up in the second round, with Morales landing some cracking shots early on. Moreno, always a difficult guy to hurt, ate those shots and fired back with effective significant strikes of his own. With ten competitive minutes already in the books, both guys knew the third round was for keeps. There wasn’t a huge momentum shift on the feet, but Moreno landed a crucial takedown that gave him nearly two minutes of top control. That top control likely sealed the deal for the former flyweight champ.
Why This Win Means Everything for Moreno
This victory wasn’t just another notch on the belt for Moreno, who now moves to 24-10-2 MMA, 12-6-2 UFC. This was about survival. Coming into this fight, Moreno hadn’t competed on a Noche UFC card before, and he desperately needed to perform. He avoided the first three-fight losing streak of his entire career against Morales, who now stands at 14-3 MMA, 3-3 UFC. By battling through that split decision, Moreno keeps himself as a relevant name in the incredibly stacked 125-pound division. He proved he can still dig deep and find a way to win when his back is against the wall.
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Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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