Ex-UFC champion reportedly sets quick UFC Mexico turnaround after controversial loss

Two-time UFC flyweight titleholder Brandon Moreno has reportedly booked his next fight less than a week after suffering a contentious loss at UFC 323.

Still sitting at #4 in the UFC flyweight rankings despite the fact that he’s coming off a loss, Moreno carried a two-fight win streak into a high-profile meeting with Tatsuro Taira as part of the UFC 323 main card last Saturday.

Taira ended up scoring a second-round TKO that many fans deemed an early stoppage, and now Vestnik MMA reports that Moreno is already slated to return against fellow top-ranked flyweight Asu Almabayev on February 28 at UFC Mexico.

Asu Almabayev Gets Huge Opportunity At UFC Mexico

Currently the UFC’s #7-ranked flyweight contender, Almabayev joined the promotion in 2023 and scored a “Performance of the Night” bonus in his debut when he submitted Ode Osbourne.

The 31-year-old followed that up with three-straight decisions over CJ Vergara, Jose Johnson, and Matheus Nicolau to bring his overall win streak to 17. A 4-0 start to his UFC career earned Almabayev a significant step up in competition against Manel Kape, who stopped “Zulfikar” in the third round of their UFC Fight Night main event in March.

Asu Almabayev (blue gloves) fights CJ Vergara (red gloves) during UFC 299 at Kayesa Center. | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Almabayev rebounded in July with a decision over Jose Ochoa, and last month he scored arguably the biggest win of his career when he submitted perennial top-ranked UFC flyweight Alex Perez in the third round.

Brandon Moreno Looks To Move Past UFC 323 Controversy

A matchup with Moreno presents a huge chance for Almabayev to vault into flyweight title contention, but “The Assassin Baby” will be eager to erase the memory of the Taira result and score a big win in his home country.

Prior to UFC 323, Moreno reminded fans that he’s still one of the best flyweights in the world when he took unanimous decisions over former title challenger Steve Erceg and Amir Albazi, who was 5-0 in the UFC before he ran into the former champion at UFC Edmonton. Now two and a half years removed from a split decision loss to Alexandre Pantoja that ended his second flyweight title reign, Moreno could put himself within range of another title shot with a win over Almabayev.

Brandon Moreno (red gloves) fights Tatsuro Taira (blue gloves) during UFC 323 at T-Mobile Arena. | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Moreno vs. Almabayev could very well serve as the main event for the UFC’s return to Mexico, and currently the card on February 28 is shaping up like this.

UFC Mexico Fight Card

• Brandon Moreno vs. Asu Almabayev

• Edgar Chairez vs. Felipe Bunes

• Imanol Rodriguez vs. Kevin Borjas

• Jose Medina vs. Ryan Gandra

• Wes Schultz vs. Damian Pinas

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