The UFC octagon was in Mexico City for the seventh time on Saturday with a fight card headlined by former two-time flyweight champion and Tijuana Baja Mexico native Brandon Moreno.
“The Assassin Baby” took on a game No. 8 ranked Steve Erceg and the fight went the distance.
They met in the middle of the cage. Moreno missed with a big right hand but connected with a left. Erceg pawed with his jab and looked to counter. Moreno went to he body with a left hook. Erceg pressed forward behind his jab. Moreno stepped in the pocket with an uppercut followed by a right hadn’t that sent Erceg back peddling. Moreno snuck in another right hand. Erceg responded with a right hand to the body.
With two minutes remaining in the opening round, Moreno was in control and connected with another right hand. Erceg delivered an uppercut. Moreno opted for a kick to the body. He landed another right hand. MMAWeekly scored the round 10-9 for Moreno.
Erceg went high with a kick but Moreno blocked it. Moreno continued to land his right hand. Erceg connected with a counter right hand that got Moreno’s attention. Moreno switched it up with back-to-back leg kicks. Erceg closed the distance with a hard combination. Moreno fired back. Moreno connected with a combination. Erceg’s chin continued to hold up. They exchanged leg kicks. Erceg landed with a left and connected with a right near the ned of the frame. MMAWeekly scored the round 10-9 for Moreno.
It was largely a boxing match with leg kicks in the first two rounds. In the third, Moreno pressured Erceg. Erceg seemed to find his timing and range. Moreno wasn’t able to land nearly as much in the third. MMAWeekly scored the round 10-9 for Erceg, but it was a competitive frame.
Erceg came out in the fourth pumping his jab. Moreno went to the bod with a left. Erceg responded with a right hand. Moreno pressed forward but missed with a combination. He landed a right seconds later. Erceg responded with a head kick the partially landed. Moreno inched forward and landed a left hand. Moreno looked to get the fight to the ground in the final seconds of the round and secured it. Erceg scrambled up but was pulled back to the canvas. MMAWeekly scored the round 10-9 for Moreno.
Moreno’s corner told him to take him down between rounds. Erceg’s corner called for offense to hurt Moreno.
Erceg missed with a right hand and back just out of range of a Moreno left hand counter. Moreno delivered two hard leg kicks. Erceg checked the third one. Moreno exploded with a combination that ended with a kick to the body. With two minutes remaining, Moreno landed a right hand. Erceg went to the body with a front kick. Erceg threw a head kick and Moreno caught it and took Erceg down. He moved to side control and that’s how the fight ended. MMAWeekly scored the round 10-9 for Moreno.
The judges scored the fight for Moreno by unanimous decision. All three scorecards read 49-46.
