Mixed martial arts career
Background
Moreno described himself as a boxing fan growing up but was not aware of other combat sports. He later became interested in capoeira, but was unable to find a school in his home city. While searching, he found an MMA gym and began training in kickboxing and jiu-jitsu.[10]
Early career
Moreno made his professional MMA debut in his native Mexico in April 2011. Over the next two years, he amassed a record of 6 wins and 3 losses.
In 2014, Moreno would debut for the World Fighting Federation promotion. He would go 5–0 in the promotion and would eventually win the Flyweight championship, which led to him being cast in the Flyweight tournament on the 25th season of The Ultimate Fighter.
The Ultimate Fighter
In July 2016, it was revealed that Moreno was a participant on The Ultimate Fighter: Tournament of Champions.[11] Moreno was selected as a member of Team Benavidez. He faced Alexandre Pantoja in the opening stage and lost the fight via submission.[12]
Ultimate Fighting Championship
In a rare move, Moreno debuted in the UFC while his season of The Ultimate Fighter was still airing. He faced Louis Smolka at UFC Fight Night: Lineker vs. Dodson on October 1, 2016.[13] Moreno won the fight via submission in the first round. The win also earned Moreno his first Performance of the Night bonus award.[14]
In his second fight for the promotion, Moreno returned to face Ryan Benoit on December 3, 2016, at The Ultimate Fighter: Tournament of Champions Finale.[15] He won the fight via split decision.[16]
Moreno next faced Dustin Ortiz on April 22, 2017, at UFC Fight Night 108.[17] He won the fight by submission in the second round and was awarded a Performance of the Night bonus.[18][19]
Moreno faced Sergio Pettis on August 5, 2017, at UFC Fight Night 114.[20] He lost the fight via unanimous decision.[21] Moreno subsequently tested positive for clenbuterol from an in-competition urine sample collected on August 6, 2017, a day after his fight with Pettis. USADA has determined that the presence of clenbuterol in Moreno's system likely resulted from clenbuterol-contaminated meat that Moreno had consumed in Mexico, and so Moreno was not punished by USADA.[22]
Moreno was expected to face Ray Borg on April 7, 2018, at UFC 223.[23] However, the bout was canceled after Borg was injured by glass from a bus window that was smashed by Conor McGregor.[23][24] The pairing was left intact and quickly rescheduled and was expected to take place on May 19, 2018, at UFC Fight Night 129.[25] However, Borg withdrew from the bout to take care of his child from brain surgery,[26] and was replaced by Alexandre Pantoja.[27] Moreno lost the fight by unanimous decision.[28] In an interview in 2019, Moreno revealed that he had been cut from the UFC in late 2018.[29]
Legacy Fighting Alliance
Moreno signed a multi-fight contract with the Legacy Fighting Alliance and made his promotional debut against the prevailing Flyweight Champion Maikel Perez at LFA 69 on June 7, 2019.[30] Moreno won the fight via technical knockout in the fourth round.[31]
Return to UFC
Moreno returned to the UFC in a bout against promotional newcomer Askar Askarov on September 21, 2019, at UFC Fight Night 159.[32] The back-and-forth bout ended in a split draw.[33]
Moreno faced Kai Kara-France on December 14, 2019, at UFC 245.[34] He won the fight by unanimous decision.[35]
Moreno faced Jussier Formiga on March 14, 2020, at UFC Fight Night 170.[36] He won the fight via unanimous decision.[37]
As the first bout of his new contract, Moreno was expected to face Alex Perez on November 21, 2020, at UFC 255.[38] However, on October 2, it was announced that Cody Garbrandt, who was scheduled to fight Deiveson Figueiredo for the UFC Flyweight Championship at the event, pulled out due to a torn bicep and was replaced by Perez.[39] Moreno instead faced Brandon Royval.[40] He won the fight via technical knockout in round one.[41]
UFC Flyweight Championship
Just three weeks removed from his last fight, Moreno faced Deiveson Figueiredo for the UFC Flyweight Championship on December 12, 2020, at UFC 256.[42] After five rounds of frenetic back-and-forth fighting in which Figueiredo was deducted 1 point in the third round due to a groin strike, the bout was declared a majority draw.[43] This fight earned both athletes the Fight of the Night award.[44]
Moreno rematched Figueiredo for the UFC Flyweight Championship on June 12, 2021, co-headlining UFC 263.[45] Moreno dominated the striking and grappling exchanges and submitted Figueiredo with a rear naked choke in the third round, becoming the first Mexican UFC champion in the process.[46] This win earned him the Performance of the Night award.[47]
The trilogy rematch with Figueiredo for the UFC Flyweight Championship was scheduled to take place on December 11, 2021, at UFC 269 initially,[48] but was moved to UFC 270 as the co-main event.[49] He lost the fight and the title via unanimous decision.[50] This fight earned him the Fight of the Night award.[51]
Moreno next faced Kai Kara-France in a rematch for the interim UFC Flyweight Championship on July 30, 2022, at UFC 277.[52] He won the fight via TKO in the third round.[53] The win also earned Moreno his third Fight of the Night award.[54] Moreno received Crypto.com "Fan Bonus of the Night" awards paid in bitcoin of US$20,000 for second place.[55]
A fourth bout between Moreno and Deiveson Figueiredo for the undisputed UFC Flyweight Championship took place on January 21, 2023, at UFC 283, marking the first time in UFC history that two fighters fought each other for a fourth time.[56] Moreno won the bout and undisputed title via technical knockout just before the fourth round after the ringside doctor stopped the fight due to Figueiredo's eye swelling shut.[57]
Moreno faced Alexandre Pantoja in a rematch on July 8, 2023, at UFC 290.[58] Moreno came out on the losing end via split decision, losing the title.[59] This fight earned him the Fight of the Night award.[60]
Moreno was expected to face Amir Albazi at UFC Fight Night 237 on February 24, 2024.[61] However, Albazi withdrew due to a neck injury and was replaced by former title challenger Brandon Royval.[62] In a competitive bout, Moreno lost by split decision.[63]
Submission grappling career
Moreno competed at the first Combat Jiu-Jitsu Fight Night on February 22, 2019 in the bantamweight tournament. In the opening round, Moreno submitted Ryan Carroll via D'arce choke, then defeated Beau Brooks by TKO via strikes in the semi-finals. In the finals, Moreno faced Richard Alarcon. The bout went into overtime, where Alarcon defeated Moreno via fastest escape time.[64][65][66]
