Brandon Moreno returns in Mexico City vs. top contender

Brandon Moreno will have a chance to get one back on the ghosts of 2024.

At UFC on ESPN 64, Moreno (22-8-2 MMA, 10-5-2 UFC) returns home once again, this time to battle Steve Erceg (12-3 MMA, 3-2 UFC) in a thrilling flyweight main event bout at Arena CDMX in Mexico City.

UFC officials announced the headliner on Saturday’s UFC 312 broadcast.

Moreno headlined the UFC’s return to Mexico in March 2024 and was upset by fellow top contender Brandon Royval in a closely-contested fight. He bounced back in November when he defeated Amir Albazi by unanimous decision.

Erceg aims to snap a two-fight skid that consists of a gritty title shot loss to champion Alexandre Pantoja and a first-round TKO loss to Kai Kara-France. Erceg was expected to face Asu Almabayev on March 1, but was shifted back to face Moreno.

Almabayev (21-2 MMA, 4-0 UFC) now faces Allan Nascimento (20-6 MMA, 2-1 UFC) instead, a person with knowledge of the matchup confirmed to MMA Junkie after the new matchup appeared on ESPN’s MMA schedule.

With the addition, the UFC on ESPN 64 lineup includes:

• Brandon Moreno vs. Steve Erceg
• Kelvin Gastelum vs. Joe Pyfer
• Edgar Chairez vs. C.J. Vergara
• Kevin Borjas vs. Ronaldo Rodriguez
• David Martinez vs. Saimon Oliveira
• Ateba Gautier vs. Jose Medina
• Lupita Godinez vs. Julia Polastri

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 64.