Moreno and Pantoja set for title rematch at UFC 290

July’s UFC 290 card has added a second title bout to its lineup.

For the past decade, International Fight Week brings with it one of the top cards of year. This year promises to be no different, with reports circulating about multiple championship fights being booked for the event – UFC 290. Among them, announced by ESPN’s Marc Raimondi, is a bout between UFC flyweight champion Brandon Moreno and top contender Alexandre Pantoja.

Mexico’s Moreno closed off a tetralogy with former titlist Deiveson Figueiredo in January, whom he defeated by doctor stoppage to unify and regain the 125lb title. Ending that series of bouts opened the door up to hopeful contenders, including Brazil’s Pantoja. The #2 ranked flyweight is riding a three-fight win-streak, including finishes against Brandon Royval and Alex Perez.

This matchup will be a rematch of their 2018 meeting in Santiago, Chile. Pantoja made light work of Moreno in that bout, racking up two scores of 30-26 and a score of 29-27. This is not the only time they have met in the cage, however. Prior to their respective UFC careers, on an exhibition bout during TUF 24, Pantoja submitted Moreno in the second round. The fight is not listed on either man’s professional record, as it was only scheduled for two rounds.

Since their last meeting, Moreno claimed an LFA title, returned to the UFC and became a two-time flyweight champion. Pantoja has gone 6-2, racking up five finishes in that stretch and garnering a wealth of fan support.

The main event of UFC 290 is expected to be a featherweight title unification bout between champions Alexander Volkanovski and Yair Rodriguez. Heavyweight champion Jon Jones has been rumoured to make an appearance on the card against Stipe Miocic, but no progression on booking the bout has been made.

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