“It Popped, but This Guy Would Fight With One Leg” – New Coach Sayif Saud Reveals Brandon Moreno Suffered From Serious Injury & the Flu Before UFC 283

Brandon Moreno closed the chapter on his historic rivalry with Deiveson Figueiredo by securing a TKO victory in their fourth bout and thus is now the undisputed champion of the UFC flyweight division. The duo spent three years feuding in the octagon, with more than an hour of combined time being registered across their fights.

Moreno showcased his superior striking and ultimately landed a damaging punch in the third round, which left a nasty cut near Deiveson’s eye. The Brazilian returned to his corner after the round and a doctor declared that he shouldn’t continue fighting. The Mexican fighter reigned supreme over Deiveson for the second time in their four fights. With this victory, he established himself as the best fighter in the division.

Despite Moreno making it look easy, ‘The Assassin Baby’ had suffered a vicious injury that had almost ruled him out of the bout at UFC 283.

Brandon Moreno endured a game-changing injury prior to the fight

Brandon Moreno’s head coach, Sayif Saud, disclosed that the 29-year-old suffered a knee injury that debilitated him during training. “Brandon hurt his knee really badly and we kept that a secret. Nobody knew about it, and not only did he have all of those other things to deal with, but physically [as well]. It was serious. It popped, but this guy would fight with one leg.

Saud also mentioned that the knee injury wasn’t the only source of concern for Moreno as he succumbed to symptoms of the flu. “He got really sick last month. He got that flu [that was going around] and for two weeks, he was so sick. He would do rounds, hack s*** up, blow his nose, and, ‘Yes sir, yes sir,’ but he was struggling.”

‘The Assassin Baby’ looked seamless in the octagon with his striking, reactive takedowns and scrambles, but it wasn’t all smooth sailing for the Mexican. The flyweight champion admitted that Deiveson’s heel hook attempt in the first round injured him. Despite facing severe adversity, Moreno overcame the odds to reign supreme over his rival. What is next for the undisputed champion?

Is a clash with Alexandre Pantoja next?

However, Brandon Moreno’s time to celebrate the victory and cherish the moment was short-lived. The 29-year-old had to deal with another issue at hand in front of him. The flyweight champion had an aggressive confrontation with contender Alexandre Pantoja following the fight. However, the issue didn’t escalate any further, as both parties went their separate ways.

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‘The Cannibal’ has Moreno’s number with Pantoja beating the Mexican twice in his career. The Brazilian is riding high on the back of a 3 fight-win streak. Both fighters’ famed past with each other could pave the way for a fight materializing sooner rather than later.

Moreno will turn his attention to spending time with his loved ones after battling the ‘God of War’. The flyweight champion will need time to carefully rest and recover his knee injury so that he is good to go when he is matched up with Pantoja.

What do you think of Moreno’s injury and his decision to fight at UFC 283? Let us know in the comments below.

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