Flyweight champion Brandon Moreno will face Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 290 in Las Vegas, marking their second official bout and third overall meeting.
Brandon Moreno will defend his title against a familiar opponent in his next match. Sources with knowledge of the pairing confirmed that the current flyweight champion is set to face Alexandre Pantoja (25-5) at UFC 290 on July 8 in Las Vegas, marking the end of the promotion’s 2023 International Fight Week. The matchup was initially reported by Instagram account freak.mma and later confirmed by UFC Chief Business Officer Hunter Campbell.
This will be the third time Moreno and Pantoja face off, with their first two encounters ending in Pantoja’s favor. The fighters first met during a flyweight season of The Ultimate Fighter in 2016, when Pantoja emerged victorious with a second-round submission. Although this bout was considered to be an exhibition, the pair met again in May 2018 at UFC Chile, where Pantoja won by unanimous decision.
Since their last meeting, both fighters have enjoyed successful careers, with Moreno (21-6-2) in his second reign as UFC flyweight champion after defeating Deiveson Figueiredo, and Pantoja securing six wins in his past eight fights. In addition to their highly anticipated rematch, UFC 290 will also feature a featherweight title unification bout between undisputed champion Alexander Volkanovski and interim champion Yair Rodriguez.