One of the most heralded flyweights in MMA history, Brandon Moreno almost hung up the gloves for good before a wave of partisan support convinced him otherwise. Moreno will face Tatsuro Taira in a high-stakes fight with major divisional consequences ahead of UFC 323.
This topic of nearing retirement came up during an interview with MMA junkie when the former UFC flyweight champion went into the details of that key time in his career, as Moreno said:
“I was so close to retiring, brother. I was so close to retiring when I lost to Brandon Royval, just because my mind wasn’t in the right place. I felt so stressed. After spending time with my family, with my teammates, with my coaches, I realized that I really love this sport. This moment in my life, especially in my professional career, is like a second chance.”
“I feel like I enjoy it more than before because when the title first came, you don’t realize all the responsibilities and you are the face of a country like Mexico with millions of people. It’s a huge responsibility. I felt that responsibility in my head and in my body.”
“Right now I’m super happy. I’m super skinny. I’m at that point in my diet where I’m starving every day, every hour of the day, but even with that I feel super optimistic. I feel super happy. I know Tatsuro [Taira] is super tough and I know it’s going to be a super tough fight, but man, I’m just happy to keep doing what I love.”
Brandon Moreno gives his flyweight mount Rushmore
Brandon moreno humbly placed himself on the proverbial mount rushmore of ufc flyweights and in the same interview with MMA Junkie Radio mentioned the other three fighters he would call out in that context. An easy addition to a conversation like this Demetrious Johnson with the inaugural UFC flyweight champion getting a pick from Moreno here.
The two other slots were filled by current UFC 125-pound titleholder Alexandre Pantoja and by Moreno’s old foe Deiveson Figueiredo, with the Mexican supertar putting up a 2-1-1 ledger against the Brazilian fighter.
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