EDMONTON, Alberta, Canada – Brandon Moreno didn’t perceive how a lot he wanted to get out of the highlight till he truly stepped away.
A former two-time UFC flyweight champion, Moreno (21-8-2 MMA, 9-4-2 UFC) returns to competitors Saturday for the primary time in additional than eight months when he takes on Amir Albazi (17-1 MMA, 5-0 UFC) within the UFC Battle Evening 246 fundamental occasion at Rogers Place (ESPN+).
After he misplaced the belt to Alexandre Pantoja by cut up choice in July 2023 then dropped one other cut up choice to Brandon Royval in February on house soil in Mexico, Moreno knew one thing wasn’t proper.
He’s competed in seven consecutive championship or fundamental occasion fights relationship again to December 2020. Throughout that point, Moreno grew to become a figurehead of combat sport in his nation.
The burden of all that caught as much as Moreno in additional methods than one, he stated, and it was the first driving power behind the hiatus.
“I’m the primary Mexican world champion,” Moreno instructed MMA Junkie and different reporters at Wednesday’s UFC Battle Evening 246 media day. “The man from an enormous nation with loads of help on an individual. That particular person is me. It’s not simply the coaching camp. It’s not simply the combat. Now it’s in regards to the media, in regards to the tasks, the travels, the media excursions. I don’t know. Perhaps I’m a pussy. Perhaps I’m a weak particular person. Perhaps different fighters can say, ‘Hey, that’s nothing. Shut the f*ck up and hold going.’ Perhaps that’s true, however speaking about myself: That’s one thing large.
“I’ve been on the grind like two, three years in a row. Combating in an incredible spot, being world wide, doing loads of work, loads of media days. I’m a human being, man. And sooner or later, it exploded my thoughts. And that’s why I made a decision to take a break.”
Moreno, 30, admits the temptation to come back again sooner was robust. He was supplied a combat at UFC 306 in September, which is the promotion’s celebration of Mexican Independence Day, and he practically jumped at it.
Finally, although, Moreno’s interior circle reminded him of the larger image, and he got here to senses.
“Once I determined to take somewhat break of competitors, it was superb in that second,” Moreno stated. “However after that, like three weeks after, I began being like, ‘Rattling, I need to combat. I need to combat.’ However then my spouse, my household and my coaches had been like, ‘Hey, it’s a must to take a break. You must take it critical. You must relaxation. Be with your loved ones. Be along with your daughters. Make extra good moments with them first.’ I needed to inform myself. I had this combat with myself and my thoughts to take this break critical.”
Now that he’s again, Moreno stated all his psychological challenges are behind him. He displayed his trademark smile and optimistic demeanor all through a virtually 20-minute media day session, and admitted to rediscovering a pleasure for the method.
“My vitality proper now feels superb,” Moreno stated. “I really feel so hype. It’s loopy how my final two coaching camps I didn’t really feel like this. I really feel all of the stress, all of the tasks. In some unspecified time in the future that exploded my thoughts and I wasn’t actually having fun with these sort of moments. Now I really feel like earlier than whenever you begin your profession with the UFC.
“I attempted to get better my physique, restoration my thoughts, heal some accidents that had been bothering me in my final coaching camps. Now I really feel good.”
Moreno stated he holds Albazi, who has but to be overwhelmed contained in the octagon, in excessive regard. He’s assured in his capacity to combat, and stated his latest state of affairs was one which by no means had a lot to do with a query about his talents.
The cut up choice defeats to Pantoja and Royval may’ve swung in his favor, so Moreno returns with a full understanding what he’s able to.
“I really feel very pissed off as a result of even once I misplaced my final two fights, I really feel in my prime,” Moreno stated. “I really feel very robust. I really feel stronger. I really feel with higher approach. I really feel with extra data in regards to the combat sport. Simply the end result isn’t what I’ve been having in my final couple of fights. Now my objective is to indicate that to the world. To point out all my arduous work on the health club, and that’s it.”
For extra on the cardboard, go to MMA Junkie’s occasion hub for UFC Battle Evening 246.
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