Brandon Moreno and Amir Albazi share final predictions for UFC Fight Night main event… 'I'm excited to show the new me'
11/02/2024 08:35 AM
For the sixth time this year, flyweights take center stage with former champion Brandon Moreno and top contender Amir Albazi set to headline tonight's fabulous Fight Night card in Edmonton, Canada.
Brandon Moreno might be the betting favorite heading into the event, but it's Amir Albazi who retains the better form – so who will get their hand raised out in Edmonton later this evening?
Amir Albazi and Brandon Moreno preview tonight's UFC Fight Night main event
Whilst Moreno and Albazi represent two of the best flyweights in the world, both athletes are returning to action after an extended period of inactivity; eight months for the Mexican, and 16 months for the Iraqi.
Speaking via ESPN MMA after the ceremonial weigh-ins, Amir Albazi teased that he's been using the recent time away from the octagon to not only improve his own skillset but to study Moreno's style.
"I've been focused on myself and my whole game, I had more than a year off, so I had time to reflect, time to look at my own style and also, Brandon Moreno's style… I've improved a lot since he last saw me"
"It's going to be a good show, I know that I'm going to put on a good performance," stated the 17-1 contender, who is also returning to action after suffering a serious health scare earlier in the year.
"I'm excited to show the new me… You guys are going to see a whole new version of The Prince."
Brandon Moreno has never been finished in his 31-fight career but make no mistake about it, Albazi will be hunting the stoppage win when the cage door locks behind him.
"Moreno is a durable and tough guy, I've watched this guy since before I even got into the UFC, so for me to come out here and to fight him, finish him – that's the most important thing, he doesn't get finished easily to finish him, that would put my stamp on the division."
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Also speaking to the ESPN MMA team, Brandon Moreno admitted that he was planning on taking more time away from the sport before the temptation to get one more fight in before the year’s end became too much.
"The original plan was to stay out for a year but I'm a competitor and that's the only life I really know… Sometimes you forget how to be a normal person, I needed a little bit of that time, but I have that desire to compete once again."
The flyweight title is set to be contested at UFC 310 in December and Moreno is expecting Albazi to come out all guns blazing in the hopes of securing that elusive next title shot.
"We can talk about the technical part [of this fight] but I think the most dangerous thing about Amir right now is that he's very motivated, he really wants to beat me because he knows he'll be very close to the title picture next.
"That makes a fighter very dangerous, but I don't care."
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The full card, following the cancelation of Derrick Lewis vs Jhonata Diniz, is as follows.
- Brandon Moreno (125.5) vs Amir Albazi (125.5)
- Erin Blanchfield (125.5) vs Rose Namajunas (125)
- Caio Machado (205) vs Brendson Ribeiro (205)
- Marc-Andre Barriault (185) vs Dustin Stoltzfus (185.5)
- Trevin Giles (170) vs Mike Malott (170.5)
- Pedro Munhoz (135) vs Aiemann Zahabi (135.5)
- Ariane da Silva (125) vs Jasmine Jasudavicius (125)
- Victor Henry (135) vs Charles Jourdain (135)
- Jack Shore (145.5) vs Youssef Zalal (145)
- Rodrigo Nascimento (264) vs Alexandr Romanov (261)
- Garrett Armfield (135) vs Serhiy Sidey (135)
- Chad Anheliger (135) vs Cody Gibson (135.5)
- Jamey-Lyn Horth (126) vs Ivana Petrovic (125)
