LAS VEGAS – Unlike Henry Cejudo, Brandon Moreno doesn’t feel the need to settle any score.
Cejudo plans on retiring after facing Payton Talbott (10-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) on Saturday’s UFC 323 (pay-per-view, ESPN2/FX/Disney+, ESPN+) main card at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. However, the former UFC dual-champion says only a fight with Moreno (23-8-2 MMA, 11-4-2 UFC) could potentially stop him from hanging up his gloves.
Moreno and Cejudo were friends, but things took an awkward turn after Season 24 of “The Ultimate Fighter,” on which Cejudo coached alongside Joseph Benavidez. Moreno ended up on Benavidez’s team after Cejudo opted to pick Alexandre Pantoja first. Because the format of that season had all 16 flyweights already seeded, Cejudo picking No. 1 ranked Pantoja meant No. 16 ranked Moreno automatically went to Benavidez’s team.
Moreno helped Cejudo train for his first flyweight title fight against Demetrious Johnson in 2016, but after Moreno helped Benavidez train for Cejudo, things got a little personal for “Triple C.” Cejudo said a potential fight with Moreno should take place on Cinco de Mayo, but Moreno is surprised that the topic of them fighting is still a thing.
“I saw the interview. I thought that rivalry was dead, but the guy is still thinking of me. That’s crazy,” Moreno told MMA Junkie and other media at the UFC 323 media day on Wednesday. “Right now, I’m super focused. In the past, we had our bad blood, and right now I’m just super focused on fighting in the flyweight division, get the title back.
“I don’t think he’s going to make that cut again (from bantamweight). So that’s it. I wish him all the best. I wish him all best, I wish him all the success in his fight against Payton Talbott because Payton is an incredible opponent. I don’t know what his real mentality against me is because the people get cameras in their faces, and everything changes.”
Moreno will compete on the same card as Cejudo. The former flyweight champion will look to re-enter the title picture when he takes on Tatsuro Taira (17-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) on the UFC 323 main card.
