The headline bout for UFC Mexico City remains intact, with Brandon Moreno still leading the main event. However, a change in the opponent has transpired. Initially slated to face Amir Albazi on February 24th, Moreno is now preparing for a rematch against the third-ranked flyweight, Brandon Royval, who steps in due to Albazi’s withdrawal owing to an injury.
The UFC has officially announced the substitution, setting the stage for a renewed encounter between Moreno and Royval, marking four years since their last clash. Their previous meeting took place at UFC 255 in November 2020, where Moreno secured victory with a first-round TKO, capitalizing on a shoulder injury suffered by Royval. It’s noteworthy that Royval had stepped in on short notice to replace Alex Perez, who was elevated to the main event against Deiveson Figueiredo for the flyweight title.
Brandon Moreno, boasting a record of 21-7-2, seeks redemption after a decision loss to Alexandre Pantoja in July, which cost him his flyweight title. Nevertheless, he had previously reclaimed the championship by defeating Figueiredo via TKO. As a two-time UFC flyweight champion and interim belt holder, Moreno has notable wins against Figueiredo (twice), Kai Kara-France (twice), Royval, and Jussier Formiga, among others.
On the flip side, Brandon Royval, with a record of 15-7, looks to rebound from a recent one-sided decision loss to Alexandre Pantoja in December at UFC 296. Prior to that setback, Royval had secured three consecutive victories against Matheus Nicolau, Matt Schnell, and Rogerio Bontorin. However, he has previously faced setbacks with losses to Pantoja (submission) and Moreno (shoulder injury).
As the headliners for UFC Mexico City on February 24th, Moreno and Royval anchor a compelling fight card, including:
- Brandon Moreno vs. Brandon Royval
- Yair Rodriguez vs. Brian Ortega
- Raul Rosas Jr. vs. Ricky Turcios
- Edgar Chairez vs. Daniel Lacerda
- Victor Altamirano vs. Felipe dos Santos
- Yazmin Jauregui vs. Sam Hughes
- Jesus Aguilar vs. Mateus Mendonca
- Manuel Torres vs. Chris Duncan
- Luis Rodriguez vs. Denys Bondar
- Muhammad Naimov vs. Erik Silva
- Daniel Zellhuber vs. Francisco Prado
- Christian Quinonez vs. Raoni Barcelos
- Claudio Puelles vs. Fares Ziam
