Brandon Moreno - Joseph Morales: betting tip (cf 1.83) and bets on the fight

Current form

Brandon Moreno is going through perhaps the most controversial period of his career. Until recently, the Mexican was perceived as one of the main characters of the lightest weight, and now he has to prove his right to be among the best again. In February, Moreno lost by unanimous decision to Lonir Kavanagh in the main fight of the UFC tournament in Mexico City. It was a painful defeat for the favorite and, most importantly, the host of the main event. However, the trouble started even earlier. In December, Moreno lost to Tatsuro Taira by technical knockout in the second round. Prior to that, the Mexican had managed to score two wins on points in a row: over Steve Erceg and Amir Albazi. 

Moreno is already 32 years old, and he has a huge professional mileage behind him. He went through five-round wars many times, fought for championship belts, experienced both victories and defeats in confrontations where the cost of a mistake was maximum. In such circumstances, the body sometimes starts billing. In the duel with Kavanagh, the Mexican really looked less sharp than usual, and his attacks lacked the usual energy. In all fairness, it should be said that Kavanaugh turned out to be far from an accidental winner. Later, he lost to Brandon Royal, and it became obvious that Moreno had lost not to a man who could not be stopped, but to an opponent who, on that particular evening, was better prepared for the task offered to him.

Recall that in June 2021, Moreno defeated Daveson Figueredo by rear choke in the third round and won the UFC championship belt. In his first title defense, he lost to the Brazilian on points, but then regained the championship by stopping Kai Cara-France by technical knockout in the third round. After that, Moreno successfully dealt with Figueredo again, this time winning by technical knockout after being stopped by a doctor. In June 2023, he lost to Alexander Pantoja by decision of the judges and lost his belt.

In total, the 32-year-old Mexican has 23 wins — five by knockouts, seven by decisions and 11 by submission — and 11 defeats. Moreno also became a champion of the World Fighting Federation and Legacy Fighting Alliance. He has a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. At the beginning of his career, the Mexican was engaged in boxing, kickboxing and capoeira.

Current form

Joseph Morales has a much nicer story now. The American returns to the UFC after winning The Ultimate Fighter and approaches the fight with Moreno without the burden that lies on his opponent's shoulders. Morales has already proved that he knows how to win when no one expects him to. In August, he defeated Alibi Idiris in the TUF finals, forcing his opponent to surrender in the second round with a triangle choke. Before that, during the season, Morales passed Imanol Rodriguez and Eduardo Chapolin, and both times he took the victory by decision of the judges. Another striking episode was the November duel with Matt Schnell, whom the American forced to surrender in the first round with a guillotine.

Morales is not going into this fight as a man who needs to live up to his status at all costs. On the contrary, he got a great opportunity. Defeating the former champion will instantly raise him in the eyes of the public and rating matchmakers. Sometimes this is the most comfortable position: you have nothing to protect, but you have something to gain.

The 32-year-old Californian has 14 wins with two losses. He has two knockouts, four decision wins and eight submission wins. Morales is a former Global Knockout champion, and in February won the Urijah Faber's A1 Combat title by defeating Anthony Doo with a triangle choke in the third round. This victory paved the way for him to return to the UFC.

The first entry into the largest league in the world took place back in 2017. Then Morales made his debut with a victory over Roberto Sanchez, who was forced to surrender in the first round by strangulation from behind. But the sequel turned out to be much less successful. First, the American lost to Daveson Figueredo by technical knockout in the second round, and then lost to Eric Shelton by decision of the judges. After that, Morales did not disappear from big-time sports. He fought two victorious fights in Cage Warriors, won the Urijah Faber's A1 Combat title and is now back in the UFC.