Moreno Claims Interim Flyweight Championship | UFC 277

Saturday night’s opponent was no stranger: Moreno previously fought Kara-France (24-10) at UFC 245 in December 2019 and walked away with a unanimous decision victory. But before UFC 277, Kara-France won three consecutive fights – including knockout victories against Cody Garbrandt and Rogerio Bontorin – for a shot at the interim title.

Both fighters were ready to run back the fight and held no punches from the start. Moreno set it off by pressuring Kara-France with well-timed left hands. The New Zealander returned fire with precise right hands from the distance. The second round saw both fighters unleash tactical kicks and punches, with Moreno dodging body kicks and switching stances to break through, landing quick combo strikes.

After a balanced battle for two rounds, with Moreno keeping a slight upper hand, the tide turned in Round 3: Kara-France sent Moreno to the floor and landed a heavy elbow, instantly opening a bleeding cut under Moreno’s eye. But despite suffering a barrage of punches, Moreno showed his resilience by rising back to his feet and returning the pressure.

In the fight’s key moment, Moreno caught Kara-France unguarded with a damaging liver kick. Visibly stunned, Kara-France folded and attempted to cover as Moreno followed up with punishing shots, ultimately forcing referee Herb Dean to stop the fight. At 4:34 of Round 3, Moreno was pronounced the winner by TKO in a no-holds-barred clash that also earned the UFC’s Fight of the Night bonus worth $50,000.

“I love that kick! It’s crazy how everything is in its place right now. I’ve been working those kicks all this training camp. I’ve been working to become a complete mixed martial artist,” said Monster Energy’s Moreno upon his victory at UFC 277 on Saturday night.

Moreno made history by taking the UFC Flyweight Championship title from Figueiredo at UFC 263 in June 2021 and becoming the promotion’s first-ever Mexican-born champion. Moreno made his UFC debut in 2016 after appearing as a contestant on The Ultimate Fighter: Tournament of Champions reality television show, and has since proven a force in the 125-pound division.