Catch the video highlights from the UFC Mexico main event clash between Brandon Moreno and Steve Erceg, which took place on Saturday night.
The fight occurred on March 29 at Arena CDMX in Mexico City. Brandon Moreno, with a record of 23-8-2, and Steve Erceg, 12-4, battled in the main event, broadcasted live on ESPN2 and ESPN+.
Official result: Brandon Moreno defeated Steve Erceg by unanimous decision, with all three judges scoring it 49-46.
Watch all the key moments from the fight below.
Round 1
Erceg started actively with jabs from an orthodox stance, utilizing his strong jab. Moreno, in his peekaboo style, attempted a wild left hook that missed but followed up with a successful jab. Moreno displayed good head movement and feints early on, while Erceg continued to pump jabs and test with calf kicks.
Moreno responded with jabs, and Erceg landed a powerful left hook to the body, followed by a body kick that slipped under Moreno`s elbow. Erceg maintained his lead hand and found an opening for a right hand. Moreno, showcasing superior speed, landed a sharp jab and moved out of range, displaying excellent pocket movement.
An uppercut into a looping right hand staggered Erceg across the cage. Although he recovered, both shots connected and disrupted his balance. Moreno`s head movement effectively neutralized Erceg`s jab, and Moreno landed a precise right hand.
Erceg threw calf kicks and sharp jabs, then connected with a strong right hand. Moreno retaliated with a body kick and timed a counter overhand right, landing another leaping right hand. Erceg absorbed the blows, but Moreno was consistently landing.
Round score: 10-9 for Moreno.
Round 2
Both fighters met in the center, circling each other. Erceg attempted a switch head kick, which Moreno blocked, and Moreno responded with a solid right hand. Erceg continued with his jab and landed a significant right hand, followed by a knee as Moreno stepped in.
Erceg fought more defensively as Moreno landed body kicks. Moreno swung a right hand, Erceg ducked, leading to a clinch, where Erceg threw a knee before they separated.
Moreno landed a right hand, and Erceg countered with a strong right, his cleanest punch of the fight. Moreno absorbed it and attacked the body in return, focusing on body shots.
Moreno jabbed back, matching Erceg`s jab. Both maintained high guards. Moreno briefly grabbed an ankle, feigning a takedown attempt but let go. Moreno then landed a notable combination, drawing out a right hand from Erceg and countering with two punches and a low kick as Erceg retreated.
Moreno landed a good jab, maintaining a slight advantage. He then connected with a right hand over the top. Moreno landed more powerful strikes, while Erceg continued with jabs and calf kicks, also landing a good right hand.
Erceg landed a nice combination as Moreno was caught defending. The fight was high-level and engaging.
Round score: 10-9 for Moreno, overall 20-18 for Moreno.
Round 3
Moreno`s corner advised him to take a more measured approach in this round, possibly incorporating wrestling, suggesting he might be tiring.
Moreno pressed forward, while Erceg continued with jabs but struggled to land significant counters, improving his defensive approach. Moreno jabbed to the body.
Erceg landed a calf kick. Moreno used feints to create openings. Erceg appeared to find his range, staying just outside Moreno`s striking distance, which also reduced his own offensive output.
Moreno landed a solid low kick inside. Erceg still hadn`t landed anything major despite better defense. Erceg landed a decent jab. The crowd became restless due to the slower pace. Erceg landed a good counter and moved away. Moreno struggled to consistently connect.
Erceg jabbed, then landed a stepping knee to the body as Moreno covered up, taking control of the round. Erceg won the footwork battle. Moreno pushed him to the fence but failed to land, receiving a knee instead. The crowd started to boo and whistle, wanting more action as the pace slowed down.
Round score: 10-9 for Erceg, overall 29-28 for Moreno.
Round 4
Moreno started with a body jab. Erceg jabbed and landed a right hand inside. Neither fighter wanted to retreat, and Moreno landed a leaping left hook around Erceg`s guard.
Moreno landed a decent body shot, attempting to combo but Erceg slipped the follow-up strikes. Erceg still wasn`t countering Moreno’s offense effectively, but landed a notable low kick, catching Moreno off balance.
Moreno launched aggressive, powerful punches, increasing the pace. Erceg blocked, but it looked better for Moreno visually. Erceg landed a body kick. Moreno landed a right hand and pushed back with a front kick. The crowd expressed their displeasure with the pace.
Erceg retreated frequently, possibly after taking a hit. Moreno landed a right hand and narrowly missed a big left. Erceg`s corner urged him to increase his volume. Erceg sustained a cut on his right side as Moreno kept advancing and landed body shots.
Moreno showed determination to win the round through sheer effort. Erceg fought technically, but in a points-based fight, he wasn`t making a strong impression. Moreno initiated a single-leg takedown attempt late in the round, drove Erceg to the fence, and secured a takedown just before the round ended. Erceg scrambled, ending up on the bottom as the bell rang.
Round score: 10-9 for Moreno, overall 39-37 for Moreno.
Round 5
Erceg`s corner humorously advised him to do the opposite of what they suggested, implying Moreno was listening to their instructions.
Erceg’s corner motivated him, but he still struggled to initiate much offense. Both fighters missed most of their strikes in the opening minute.
Moreno landed a few low kicks at the end of combinations. Erceg landed a front kick and checked a low kick, then landed a good right hand, following up with a high kick that hit Moreno`s arms.
Moreno charged in with a combo, some strikes blocked, some landed. Erceg jabbed as they separated. Moreno also jabbed effectively. The crowd began singing.
Erceg landed a jab and a right hand. Moreno countered with a good overhand right as Erceg became momentarily lazy, then another overhand right that fell slightly short. Erceg attempted a counter left hook that missed. The round was close with 60 seconds remaining.
Erceg then threw a head kick; Moreno caught his leg and took him down! Moreno gained top position, attempting to pass to side control as Erceg defended tightly. Moreno successfully passed to side control and landed a short elbow as time expired.
Round score: 10-9 for Moreno, overall 49-46 for Moreno.
