Noche UFC on Saturday, September 12, at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale? Dude, it was absolutely packed. Fans flooded the building, celebrating Latino heritage and Mexican Independence Day with some serious passion. As the main card kicked into gear, seats were full, and two fighters clearly owned the crowd’s energy: Alexa Grasso from Mexico and American Tommy McMillen.
Grasso Delivers the Knockout Punch Everyone Needed
The vibe for Alexa Grasso was straight fire when she hit the octagon. Facing the No. 2-ranked Manon Fiorot, Grasso, the No. 3 contender, dropped a bomb late in the first round. A punch floored Fiorot and the crowd? They were on their feet, roaring like it was a championship game! Fiorot was bleeding from her right eye by the end, but Grasso powered through all three rounds and locked down a unanimous decision. You could feel the emotion when she tapped her heart looking out at the fans and shouted, “Viva Mexico!” She nailed it with, “My boxing is my signature.” Talk about a statement win!
Tommy McMillen’s Fight Was the Must-See Thriller
If you weren’t tuned into Tommy McMillen, you missed the absolute *most entertaining fight* of the whole day. This featherweight, repping Peoria, knew how to make an entrance too, hitting the octagon in dark shades to Motley Crue. First round? He opened a cut under Morocco’s Marwan Rahiki’s right eye. But Rahiki wasn’t playing, staggering McMillen with face shots in the second. These guys were throwing down, even exchanging words after the round. That final round started and the crowd was on its feet, roaring their heads off, staying there for every second! McMillen was the better fighter in the third, and even though both guys were gassed, he got the unanimous decision. Big ups to UFC star Sean O’Malley in his corner offering guidance. That’s how you put on a show!
Moreno’s Gritty Win, But the Crowd Felt Different
Brandon Moreno’s first Noche UFC appearance, as the first Mexican-born UFC champ who won his flyweight title right here in 2021? You expected an explosion of sound. He walked out to a song about him, but his fight against Joseph Morales didn’t get that insane crowd reaction. Fans weren’t nearly as loud as they were five years ago. Moreno had a rough first round, then took an accidental kick to the private area in the second, and kept losing his balance on kicks. But you know what? He still battled to a split-decision win. “The most important thing was I repeated the result that I got here before,” he said in Spanish. “My mind was where it should have been. I feel like I should have thrown a few more punches.” That’s pure grit, even if the crowd’s energy was a bit subdued.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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