Former UFC flyweight champion Brandon Moreno fought the majority of his epic UFC 290 clash with Alexandre Pantoja with a broken hand.
Brandon Moreno’s second stint as the UFC flyweight champion came to an abrupt end at UFC 290. After five rounds of nonstop action between the two fighters, Pantoja walked away with a split-decision victory.
Alexandre Pantoja has now defeated Brandon Moreno three times during their combat sports careers. The two flyweights first clashed during their stint on The Ultimate Fighter 24.
UFC President Dana White revealed during the UFC 290 post-fight press conference that Moreno and Pantoja were both rushed to a local hospital after their fight. Moreno was diagnosed with a broken hand that White said he suffered in the opening minutes of the co-main event.
Brandon Moreno vs. Alexandre Pantoja Earned ‘Fight of the Night’ Honors
Brandon Moreno remarkably put on one of the best fights of the year despite a compromised hand. He nearly finished Pantoja at multiple moments during the fight, but Pantoja proved his mettle, especially in the championship rounds.
Moreno reclaimed the flyweight throne by defeating Deiveson Figueiredo in their tetralogy at UFC 283. He won the interim flyweight championship against Kai Kara-France at UFC 277 to earn a fourth fight with Figueiredo.
As Alexandre Pantoja begins his flyweight title reign, he has no shortage of potential challengers, including UFC 290 backup Brandon Royval. It’s uncertain how long Moreno will be sidelined with his hand injury, but the adversity he battled at UFC 290 makes the five-round war even more epic.
Brandon Moreno vs Alexandre Pantoja full fight from bellow: