Overview
- The UFC announced Brandon Moreno will face Asu Almabayev in the UFC Mexico main event on February 28 in Mexico City, with the card streaming on Paramount+.
- The booking comes days after Moreno’s first career TKO, a referee Mark Smith stoppage at 2:24 of round two against Tatsuro Taira at UFC 323 that many observers criticized as early.
- Following that win, Taira said he is proud to be the first to stop Moreno and is targeting new champion Joshua Van, expressing confidence he could finish Van over five rounds.
- Van captured the flyweight title at UFC 323 when Alexandre Pantoja dislocated his elbow seconds into their fight, leaving Pantoja’s recovery timeline an open factor in future matchups.
- Moreno’s swift turnaround has prompted public concern about fighter safety and whether the short recovery window is prudent after a recent TKO.