“The Assassin Baby” switched up his flow with a takedown in the second round and showcased that he was happy to outgrapple Figueiredo. In the third round he went back to the well, submitting Figueiredo with a rear-naked choke to become the UFC flyweight champion.
It was a surreal moment for Moreno, who sat quietly on his knees in the Octagon, soaking in the moment as the crowd in Arizona erupted. To become the first Mexico native to win a UFC title and to do it just over six hours away from his hometown of Tijuana, Mexico, was truly an all-time moment.
Jon Anik’s iconic call still owns a special place in fight fans’ memories today.
“Brandon Moreno has done it! Tijuana, you have a champion!”
From advertisements and earned respect to murals in Tijuana – this was Brandon Moreno’s rocket launch to stardom.
But his rivalry with Figueiredo was far from finished, as the first two fights were too good for the UFC to ignore, and the UFC booked Moreno vs Figueiredo 3 for UFC 270.
The Redemption
Brandon Moreno vs Deiveson Figueiredo 3
UFC 270, January 22, 2022
The third fight between Figueiredo and Moreno resembled that of their first showdown, as it went the full 25 minutes and was another razor-close fight.
One major difference between this fight and the first one was the crowd. At UFC 256, there were no fans in the UFC APEX, but at UFC 270 it was impossible to quiet the Mexican faithful screaming for Moreno in Anaheim, California.
Unfortunately for them, just like in the first fight, Figueiredo did enough in the eyes of the judges to take the flyweight title back to Brazil.