On the latest episode of “Spinning Back Clique,” we discuss the UFC Mexico results, Cain Velasquez’s sentencing, Conor McGregor latest comments, and more.
Check out this week’s “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly live show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts.
This week’s panel of Brian “Goze” Garcia, Nolan King and Danny Segura will join host “Gorgeous” George Garcia live at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) to discuss and debate the following topics:
[autotag]Brandon Moreno[/autotag] finally has a UFC win on home soil. After going 0-2-1 fighting in Mexico under the UFC banner, Moreno defeated [autotag]Steve Erceg[/autotag] this past Saturday in the main event of UFC on ESPN 64. Should Moreno get the next crack at champion Alexandre Pantoja? We discuss Moreno’s big win, plus other key results from UFC Mexico.
[autotag]Cain Velasquez[/autotag] received a five-year sentence in prison for a 2022 shooting. This put an end to a heartbreaking case that troubled the MMA community for a while. Velasquez shot a vehicle that had a man who allegedly molested Velasquez’s 4-year-old son at a daycare. Velasquez was credited with 1,283 days of previously time served, meaning he’ll have to serve 542 days behind bars. We react to the verdict of the case and the MMA community’s response.
Is [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] done fighting? Well, the UFC superstar made some recent comments that signaled, to many, McGregor’s true intentions on a potential return to the cage. Will we ever see the Irishman set foot in the octagon again? We discuss.
New signings, new bookings, and matchups falling through. The often repeating headlines seen week to week in the sport. We discuss [autotag]Kyoji Horiguchi[/autotag]’s return to the UFC, the announcement of the inaugural GFL cards, [autotag]Geoff Neal[/autotag]’s withdrawal from his [autotag]Carlos Prates[/autotag] fight, and more.
Lastly, we end the show with a look ahead at the two major events going down this weekend: PFL 1, 2025 and UFC on ESPN 65. We preview [autotag]Josh Emmett[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Lerone Murphy[/autotag], and the welterweight and featherweight tournaments kicking off at Thursday’s PFL event.
Brandon Moreno strengthened his case for a title shot at UFC on ESPN 64.
MEXICO CITY – [autotag]Brandon Moreno[/autotag] strengthened his case for a title shot at UFC on ESPN 64.
Former flyweight champion Moreno (24-8-2 MMA, 12-4-2 UFC) picked up his second-straight win when he defeated [autotag]Steve Erceg[/autotag] by unanimous decision in Saturday’s main event at Arena CDMX.
Erceg (12-5 MMA, 3-4 UFC) proved to be game in all five rounds, but Moreno’s power shots ultimately made the difference.
“Being honest with you, I was expecting something like this,” Moreno told MMA Junkie and other reporters at a post-fight news conference. “I know Steve is very good with the counter. I was very aware of the cross, of the hook. I think the first round he tried to stay a little bit more, but he felt the power in my hands and then he changed a little bit the game plan, and he started to move a little bit more.
“But I was expecting that – a guy who was trying to take his time, move with the angles, and then waiting for me. (It) was hard for me to close the distance and throw a lot of punches. I think I used my experience, finally. I used my brain and I got the victory.”
Moreno picked up his first win on home soil in the UFC. He called for a title shot against flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja, who dethroned him by split decision at UFC 290 in July 2023.
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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 64.
What does the future hold for UFC Mexico main event winner Brandon Moreno? We attempt to play matchmaker.
[autotag]Brandon Moreno[/autotag] showed that he’s still among the most prominent figures in the flyweight division when he defeated Steve Erceg in Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 64 main event.
Moreno (23-8-2 MMA, 11-4-2 UFC) earned a unanimous decision victory over Erceg (12-4 MMA, 3-3 UFC) at Arena CDMX in Mexico City, and afterward called for a title shot on the newly announced UFC 320 card for Noche UFC on Sept. 13.
Will Moreno get booked for a third showdown with champion Alexandre Pantoja? Or does something else make more sense given his current position at 125 pounds.
Watch the video above for thoughts and analysis on Moreno’s future after UFC on ESPN 64.
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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 64.
Brandon Moreno calls for a UFC 320 title shot vs. Alexandre Pantoja.
MEXICO CITY – [autotag]Brandon Moreno[/autotag] held the “Viva Mexico” in for too long. Saturday, he finally let it out.
In the UFC on ESPN 64 main event, Moreno (24-8-2 MMA, 12-4-2 UFC) defeated Steve Erceg (12-5 MMA, 3-4 UFC) by unanimous decision. The victory was his first on home soil in the UFC and his first overall since his third pro bout in January 2012.
“Man, I have so many emotions, man,” Moreno told MMA Junkie and other reporters at a post-fight news conference. “The first time I fought here was 2017 against Sergio Pettis. It was a main event and I lost. I’ve been holding this ‘Viva Mexico’ for so long, and I finally did it tonight. I’m just happy, man. I’m just enjoying this moment. I felt all the fight week, everything feels just different. I have experience. I have the energy. At the end, I just executed. So I’m happy.”
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Moreno turned a solo win over Amir Albazi in November into a two-fight winning streak. In a division where contendership is largely up for grabs, Moreno thinks he may have done enough to headline the freshly announced UFC 320 event, Sept. 13 in Guadalajara, Mexico.
“How confident I am?” Moreno said. “I don’t even know. I know nothing right now. I’m just happy, enjoying the moment. Let’s see what happens. I saw Hunter and he looked very happy with the people, with the crowd. That’s the thing. Who knows how much I move the needle? Maybe not too much. Flyweights, always with the same problem. That’s crazy. But I really believe every single time I step in the octagon, the people go crazy. That’s the fact. Let’s see what happens.”
“…. That’s the goal. Guadalajara, I think it’s perfect. Even for the UFC, for the promotion. If they want to get a pay-per-view event for Noche UFC in September in Guadalajara, I think I’m the right choice. … I feel today I have enough arguments to raise my hand and say, ‘Hey, I can be the main event, the pay-per-view in Guadalajara in September.”
The status of the next title fight at flyweight in the UFC is unknown. Champion Alexandre Pantoja was rumored to face Kai Kara-France in April in Miami but that fight is not happening then. Now, it’s rumored for June in Newark, N.J. – which remains to be seen.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 64.
UFC Mexico fighters took home Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay, with Kelvin Gastelum and Drew Dober leading the way.
MEXICO CITY – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 64 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $168,500.
The program, a comprehensive plan that includes outfitting requirements, media obligations and other items under the fighter code of conduct, replaces the previous payments made under the UFC Athlete Outfitting Policy.
UFC on ESPN 64 took place at Arena CDMX in Mexico. The card aired on ESPN2 and streamed on ESPN+.
The full UFC on ESPN 64 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:
Under the UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance program’s payout tiers, which appropriate the money generated by Venum’s multi-year sponsorship with the UFC, fighters are paid based on their total number of UFC bouts, as well as Zuffa-era WEC fights (January 2007 and later) and Zuffa-era Strikeforce bouts (April 2011 and later). Fighters with 1-3 bouts receive $4,000 per appearance; 4-5 bouts get $4,640; 6-10 bouts get $6,000; 11-15 bouts earn $11,000; 16-20 bouts pocket $16,000; and 21 bouts and more get $21,000. Additionally, champions earn $32,000 while title challengers get $42,000.
In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-64 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.
Full 2025 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:
In the UFC on ESPN 64 main event, Brandon Moreno defeated Steve Erceg in a close, technical affair.
[autotag]Brandon Moreno[/autotag] sent the Mexico City crowd home happy Saturday at Arena CDMX – but it wasn’t easy.
In the UFC on ESPN 64 main event, Moreno (24-8-2 MMA, 12-4-2 UFC) outpointed former UFC title challenger [autotag]Steve Erceg[/autotag] (12-5 MMA, 3-4 UFC) en route to a unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-46) win.
For five rounds, the fight was a close technical affair. While Moreno appeared to get the better of most exchanges, Erceg did a lot to potentially put doubt in the judges’ minds.
Moreno started strong, but Erceg caught up quickly. It became essentially tit-for-tat from there. While everyone is entitled to their opinions, there were only three that mattered. The three judges cageside awarded Moreno the unanimous decision win – much to the delight of the passionate crowd in Mexico City.
#UFCMexico results: Brandon Moreno def. Steve Erceg via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-46)
After the win, Moreno called for a shot on UFC 320, which was announced Saturday for Sept. 13 in Guadalajara, Mexico as the promotion’s annual Noche UFC event.
Champion Alexandre Pantoja does not currently have a fight on the books, though has been rumored to face Kai Kara-France next.
With the win, Moreno knocks off another top contender. In November, he defeated Amir Albazi by unanimous decision and snapped a two fighting losing skid in doing so.
Erceg continues to compete against top contenders, but without the results he’d hope for. After an impressive performance in a title challenge loss to Pantoja, Erceg was quickly finished with punches by Kara-France. Saturday’s loss was his third in a row.
Up-to-the-minute UFC on ESPN 64 results include:
Brandon Moreno def. Steve Erceg via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-46)
The MMA community reacted to Brandon Moreno’s victory over Steve Erceg in the UFC Mexico main event.
[autotag]Brandon Moreno[/autotag] finally got his hand raised on home soil Saturday when he emerged victorious from the UFC on ESPN 64 main event against [autotag]Steve Erceg[/autotag].
After going winless in three previous fights in Mexico, Moreno (23-8-2 MMA, 11-4-2 UFC) turned his fortune with a unanimous decision victory over Erceg (12-4 MMA, 3-3 UFC) in the flyweight headliner at Arena CDMX in Mexico City, giving him back-to-backs wins in pursuit of trying to reclaim UFC gold.
Check below for the top X (formerly Twitter) reactions to Morono beating Erceg at UFC on ESPN 64.
Analyzing Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 64 odds between Brandon Moreno vs. Steve Erceg, with MMA picks and predictions.
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In a 5-round flyweight bout in the main event, Brandon Moreno and Steve Erceg meet at UFC on ESPN 64 Saturday at Arena CDMX in Mexico City. Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s UFC odds around the UFC on ESPN 64: Moreno vs. Erceg odds, and make our expert picks and predictions.
The prelims start at 4 p.m. ET with the main card beginning at 7 p.m. (ESPN2/ESPN+).
Records: Moreno (22-8-2) | Erceg (12-3-0)
Moreno suffered a championship bout loss to Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 290 via split decision, and he followed that up with a split-decision loss to Brandon Royval in the main event of a fight night in Feb. 2024. He bounced back with a unanimous decision win against Amir Albazi in a main event in early November.
Erceg also lost a championship bout against Pantoja, falling via unanimous decision at UFC 301 in early May 2024. He returned at UFC 305, falling flat in a Round 1 KO/TKO loss to Kai Kara-France in mid-August.
Moreno heads to the octagon with a 2-inch reach advantage. Erceg has a slight 4.37-to-3.99 significant strikes landed per minute advantage, and he is also more accurate with those strikes at 52.04% to just 49.35% for the former Mexican champ.
Moreno leads with a 1.59 takedown average, to 1.16 for the Aussie. He is also much more accurate than Erceg in takedown percentage at 46.15% to just 26.32%. Erceg has a slight submission average of 0.47-to-0.42.
Moreno (-250) is fighting in his native Mexico, and that should give him the boost he needs in this matchup against Erceg. However, you cannot risk 2 1/2 times your potential return, unless you were to toss him into a multi-leg parlay, or if you were to use an odds boost.
A better value is playing MORENO BY DECISION (+100) at even-money for the method of victory. He has ended up going the distance in each of the past 3 outings, all 5-round fights. Erceg has also ended up going the distance in 3 of his 5 fights at the UFC level.
In the ‘How will fight end’ area, playing Decision (-225) will set you back more than 2 times your potential return. Unfortunately, there is no Over/Under on round total, but to be honest, it would not be worth playing if it were offered, too, as it would be more expensive than the Decision play.
If you were able to drop the Decision play with an odds boost, or as part of a multi-leg parlay, it might be worth it, but as a standalone play with no promo, AVOID.
Visit MMA Junkie for more fight news and analysis.
Brandon Moreno and Steve Erceg were locked in at the final faceoff for Saturday’s UFC Mexico main event.
MEXICO CITY – [autotag]Brandon Moreno[/autotag] and [autotag]Steve Erceg[/autotag] crossed paths for the final time before their UFC on ESPN 64 main event at Friday’s ceremonial weigh-ins.
Ahead of their flyweight encounter on Saturday at Arena CDMX (ESPN2, ESPN+), former champion Moreno (22-8-2 MMA, 10-4-2 UFC) and one-time title challenger Erceg (12-3 MMA, 3-2 UFC) engaged in a final pre-fight staredown.
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Moreno audibly had the full backing of the Mexican crowd as he was draped in the country’s flag. Erceg remained cool, calm, and collected – with a big smile on his face. The two fighters remained respectful and shook hands.
Brandon Moreno and Steve Erceg are all smiles at the final faceoff.
MMA Junkie fight analyst Dan Tom goes in-depth on the UFC on ESPN 64 main event flyweight fight in Mexico City.
MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom goes in-depth to break down the biggest fights in the UFC. Today, he takes a closer look at the UFC on ESPN 64 main event between former flyweight champion [autotag]Brandon Moreno[/autotag] and ex-title challenger [autotag]Steve Erceg[/autotag].
Supplemental info:
+ Former 2x UFC flyweight champion
+ Regional MMA titles
+ Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt
+ Multiple grappling accolades
+ 5 KO victories
+ 11 submission wins
+ 8 first-round finishes
+ Consistent pace and pressure
+ Improved boxing technique
+ Accurate left hook
^ Coming forward or off the counter
+ Hard lead-side kicks
+ Improved wrestling ability
+ Good transitional grappler
^ Solid scrambles and submissions
Supplemental info:
+ Regional MMA titles
+ Jiu-jitsu black belt
+ National wrestling gold medal (Aus.)
+ Muay Thai state title
+ 2 KO victories
+ 6 submission wins
+ 5 first-round finishes
+ Consistent pace and pressure
+ Educated lead hand
^ Jabs, hooks, timing change-ups
+ Well-rounded striking arsenal
+ Strong inside the clinch
^ Sneaky elbows off frames
+ Good from front-headlock
^ Dangerous submission in transition
Brandon Moreno vs. Steve Erceg point of interest: Flyweight fisticuffs
Nov 2, 2024; Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; Brandon Moreno (red gloves) fights Amir Albazi (blue gloves) in a flyweight bout during UFC Fight Night at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn Images
The main event in Mexico City features a battle between top flyweights, Moreno and Erceg.
A well-rounded martial artist who is comfortable on their feet, Erceg poses threats in multiple phases. He’s a large flyweight who isn’t afraid to fight to his frame, and does a decent job of staying long with a solid jab and active kicking game.
Whether Erceg is looking to punish opponents down low with leg kicks or craftily come up high with question mark kicks, the 29-year-old challenger demonstrates excellent control of his lower extremities.
When it comes to his boxing game, Erceg shows an educated left hand that can offer change-ups in both his shot selection and timing. Inside the clinch, he offers the knees you’d expect from a fighter with his height and is also good about sneaking in elbows that he likes to fold over frames.
Although Erceg appears to do some of his best work when countering and sharpshooting from range, he’s not beyond being caught upright off the counter himself in exchanges.
Enter [autotag]Brandon Moreno[/autotag].
Initially stepping onto the UFC scene as more of a grapple-first fighter, Moreno has since developed into a more complete and technical striking threat as he’s matured.
Still only 31 years of age, Moreno continues to display almost unshakable composure, win or lose, almost as if he’s determined to finish the fight stronger than his foe. But when you look beyond the brief, brash moments that allow his character to shine, you can see a more mature countering game at play.
Always a fan of the left hook (both coming forward and off the counter), Moreno does a much better job of variating both his timing and targets, often working them off of a jab. The theme of lead-side savvy travels fluently for the Mexican fighter in the way that Moreno attaches lead-leg kicks to his combinations when feeling in stride.
Moreno also has a knack for navigating extended exchanges, which, in this case, could lead to some grappling opportunities.
Brandon Moreno vs. Steve Erceg point of interest: Potential grappling threats
Nov 11, 2023; New York, NY, USA; Steve Erceg (red gloves) fights Alessandro Costa (blue gloves) during UFC 295 at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports
Considering the potential for chaos on the feet, no one should be shocked if these two end up tangling on the floor.
Erceg, akin to Alexander Volkanovski, is also a national wrestling gold medalist in Australia and is not beyond switching gears to go for takedowns.
From double legs along the fence to reactive shots in the open, Erceg appears to be a well-versed wrestler from multiple spots. And when opponents attempt to shoot in on Erceg, the Australian standout shows a strong front-headlock that he’s able to parlay into positive positions and potential chokes.
Luckily for Moreno, the Mexican is far from a slouch in the grappling department.
Starting off his career as more of a jiu-jitsu fighter, Moreno smartly swam toward the wrestling side of things (from an offensive standpoint) after being afforded the chance to train stateside through the UFC’s former developmental program.
Although Moreno was still not beyond being taken down or scoring submissions off his back, he offered plenty of glimpses of improvement during his first run with the promotion.
Moreno has been much more aggressive on the feet during this second stint, but doesn’t seem to be ignoring the other parts of his game. As far as grappling and wrestling scrambles go, Moreno was able to come out on top of stanzas against some of the division’s best grapplers in Jussier Formiga and Askar Askarov (who he clearly beat, in my opinion).
Brandon Moreno vs. Steve Erceg odds
The oddsmakers and the public are favoring the Mexican fighter, listing Moreno -250 and Erceg +190 via FanDuel.
Brandon Moreno vs. Steve Erceg prediction, pick
Brandon Moreno
Considering the UFC’s current trend of booking fighters on losing skids opposite hometown heroes, then I suppose it’s not surprising to see the betting spread above. Alhough I don’t disagree with who is favored, I caution anyone feeling too confident about either side of this attraction.
Flyweight fights, given the speed and technicality of the action at play, often make for contests that are scored much more closely than some might expect.
Not only is Erceg a fighter who can compete with Moreno’s lead-handed savvy, but the Australian has proven he can carry a high output across five rounds. The elevation of Mexico City will certainly put Erceg to the test, but no one should be surprised he’s able to compete punch for punch with Moreno.
The potential problem, however, is that Moreno, who already has an experience edge, also appears to have some advantages in the wrestling and durability department.
Despite Erceg’s accolades, his wrestling still shows some room for growth when competing with the upper echelon of the weight class. Even though I wouldn’t go so far as to say Erceg is “chinny,” I can’t help but wonder when the point of diminishing returns will come as far as the amount of weight the Australian contender cuts to fight at flyweight.
I’m a big fan of Erceg and wouldn’t mind being wrong on this one, it’s just always hard to back a fighter after the UFC’s already backed them into a proverbial corner. I hope this isn’t another case of the promotion rushing (and potentially ruining) a young product by bringing it to market too quickly, but the pick is Moreno to take a competitive win on the scorecards.
Prediction: Moreno by decision
Brandon Moreno vs. Steve Erceg start time, where to watch
As the main event, Moreno and Erceg are expected to make their walks to the octagon at approximately 9:40 p.m. ET (7:40 p.m. in Mexico). The fight streams on ESPN+.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 64.
