Brandon Moreno got a big win at UFC Mexico, besting Steve Erceg in a five-round masterclass.
Moreno and Erceg let their hands fly early in the first round, but it was ‘The Assassin Baby’ who got the best of the exchanges, repeatedly blasting Erceg with his right hand.
In the second, ‘Astro Boy’ started to find his rhythm, utilizing his jab and landing some solid right hands of his own. Still, it was Moreno who appeared to land the more impactful strikes of the second stanza.
Moreno struggled to land in the third round as Erceg appeared to get his timing down. Moreno repeatedly swung big, only to hit the air in front of him and nothing else. ‘Astro Boy’ continued to pump his jab and landed some solid combinations, though neither connected with anything substantial, making it a very close round for the judges to score.
Moreno broke out his wrestling in the waning seconds of the fourth round, and managed to get Erceg to the mat just as the horn sounded. Before that, it was a closely contested round on the feet with Erceg largely hiding behind his jab and avoiding a slew of heavy shots from his opponent.
The fifth round was another close battle between two elite strikers, but Erceg just didn’t seem interested in sitting down on any of his punches and giving the judges something that would swing the scorecards in his favor.
The round ultimately ended with Moreno getting Erceg to the mat and landing a few elbows, further solidifying what would be his first win in Mexico City.
Official Result: Brandon Moreno def. Steve Erceg via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-46)
