Erceg gets an interview and he says he thought he landed pretty well but it wasn't enough. He shakes it off and says he'll get better and be back. I'm sure he will.
Erceg gets an interview and he says he thought he landed pretty well but it wasn't enough. He shakes it off and says he'll get better and be back. I'm sure he will.
Moreno is extremely emotional in his post-fight. He's crying a bit, perhaps because he's never won in Mexico City and finally did.
In Spanish, Moreno tells the crowd that he knows how hard it is to afford a ticket and come to these shows and he did everything for them. Then he tells Daniel Cormier to tell him who is the best boxer and DC agrees he is the better boxer.
Then Cormier tells Moreno about UFC 320 being UFC Noche. And Moreno goes, "Where's Hunter?" He finds Hunter Campbell cageside and tells him he knows he can carry a PPV in Mexico and let's do it.
Brandon Moreno def. Steve Erceg via unanimous decision (49-46x3).
Well that's fun. Erceg's corner tells him that Moreno is clearly listening to them, so when they say something, do the opposite. Haven't heard that before.
Erceg's corner also put some fire into him and he comes out, but he's yet to get much going. Both men are missing almost everything despite trying to land this round. The first minute is all air.
Moreno lands a few low kicks at the end of combinations. Erceg lands his front kick. Erceg checks a low kick. Erceg lands a nice right hand. Then gets Moreno to cover up and lands a high kick on the arms.
Moreno charges in and drops a combo. Erceg blocks some but eats a few. Then jabs when they get out. Moreno jabbing well with him. The crowd is singing something. Maybe "Ole?"
Erceg sticks the jab in then a right hand. Moreno lands a nice overhand right as Erceg gets caught lazy. Another overhand right comes up a little shot. Erceg sits down on a counter left hook that misses. 60 seconds left and this round is up for grabs.
But then Erceg throws a head kick and Moreno grabs his leg and dumps him! Moreno on op and trying to pass to side control as Erceg is holding tight. The pass is going to happen though and it does. Short time and Moreno lands an elbow. Small shots as the round ends.
MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9 Moreno, 49-46 Moreno overall.
Moreno with a nice body jab to start. Erceg pumping the jab and lands a right hand as they get inside. Neither man wants to be backing up too much and Moreno lands a leaping left hook around the guard.
Decent body shot from Moreno. He tries to combo off it but Erceg slips the following shots. Erceg is still not countering Moreno offense which is probably bad for him. But he lands a really nice low kick that catches Moreno off guard and off balance.
Moreno swinging big aggressive punches now, pushing the pace here. Erceg blocking it but the optics are better for Moreno. But Erceg lands a body kick. Moreno lands a right as pushes him back with a front kick. Crowd isn't loving this though and they are loud.
Erceg is retreating a lot right now. I don't know if he got tagged? Moreno lands a right and just misses a huge left. Erceg's corner wants him to open up the volume. He's got a cut on the right side now as Moreno keeps coming foward and tags the body nicely.
Moreno is simply willing himself to win this round by trying. Erceg is fighting a real fight, but that's not what this is. This is a fight with judges and points and Erceg is defending himself and competing, but not making an impression. And Moreno drives in for a single-leg without much time. He gets Erceg to the fence and takes him down just before the end of the round. Erceg scrambles and winds up on bottom as the horn hits.
MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9 Moreno, 39-37 Moreno overall.
Moreno's corner suggested he might be getting tired, so take a more measure approach this round and introduce some wrestling. We'll see if that happens.
Moreno pressing forward to start. Erceg still putting the jab out there. He can't find enough big counters but he's doing a better job of avoiding the offense now. Moreno jabs the body.
Erceg calf kick. Moreno showing the feints to open things up. Erceg really figuring out the range now. He's just outside Moreno's offense now. But his own offense is lessened as well.
Good hard low kick from Moreno lands inside. Erceg yet to land anything significant, even though his defense is better. Decent jab from Erceg. Crowd getting a little restless as the action has slowed here some. Erceg lands a nice counter and slips out. Moreno struggling to find him consistently now.
Erceg with the jab. Then lands a stepping knee to the body as Moreno covers up. Erceg taking over this round as he opens up the offense a bit. Erceg winning the footwork battle now. Moreno gets him to the fence but can't land anything and eats a knee instead. The crowd is starting to boo and whistle. They want more and the action really dropped off that round.
MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9 Erceg, 29-28 Moreno overall.
Out to the center for both as they circle each other. Erceg throws a nice switch head kick that Moreno blocks. And then Moreno lands a nice right hand. Erceg sticking with his jab and lands a really nice right hand. Then a knee as Moreno steps in.
Erceg fighting a little more off the back foot now as Moreno lands a pair of body kicks. Moreno wings a right hand that Erceg ducks, the clinch, Erceg throws a knee and they break.
Moreno lands a right hand. And Erceg lands a big right in response. His cleanest punch of the night. But Moreno takes it and tags the body as well. He's attacking the body well.
Moreno jabbing back with Erceg who keeps his going. Both men staying high with their guards. Moreno grabs an ankle to threaten a takedown but passes. Oh really nice combination from Moreno. He drew out a bad right hand from Erceg and hit him with two and a low kick as Erceg ran out. That was pretty.
Nice jab from Moreno. He's just slightly ahead at most points. And he lands a nice right hand over the top. Moreno is landing far more power shots, Erceg keeps working the jab and the calf kick. But then lands a good right hand of his own.
Nice combination from Erceg as Moreno got caught playing defense. This is a very high-level fight. I'm enjoying it greatly.
MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9 Moreno, 20-18 Moreno overall.
Both men out in orthodox and Erceg starts pumping the jab early. It's one of his best weapons. Moreno with his peekaboo style wing s wild left in that misses. But he lands a good jab shortly thereafter. Moreno showing good head movement early and feinting a fair amount. Erceg pumping the jab and trying a few calf kicks.
Moreno jabs back with Erceg then lands a hard left hook to the body. Then a body kick that sneaks under the elbow. Erceg putting the lead hand back in the way and finds a shifty right hand. Moreno lands a nice jab and then slips out. He's faster for sure. And has some nice pocket movement.
OH! Uppercut into a looping right hand sent Erceg stumbling across the cage. He's OK but both of those landed and got him off balance. Moreno's head movement is muting Erceg's jab early and he lands a sharp right hand.
Oh awesome. My video crashed. Great website that ESPN. Takes a minute and it gets back. I missed about 45 seconds of action. 90 seconds left and both men are still out there.
Erceg throwing some calf kicks and snapping the jab, then a good right hand off it. Moreno with a nice body kick. Nice overhand right that Moreno timed as a counter lands. And another leaping right hand from Moreno. Erceg's chin is holding up but for how long? Moreno is landing a lot.
MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9 Moreno.
Erceg is 2 years younger, 1 inch taller, but has a 2 inch reach disadvantage. Moreno is the betting favorite at -245 with the comeback on Erceg at +200.
Bruce Buffer gets things going. The three judges for this main event are Mike Bell, Sal D'Amato, and Chris Lee. Herb Dean is the referee.
Erceg paces back and forth while he's introduced and the crowd, obviously, let's him hear it. This is Moreno country and Erceg gets the boos. Moreno gets all the cheers. All of them. So many. He moves around and pumps his arms as he receives them.
They meet in the middle for final instructions. It's go time.