UFC 290: Brandon Moreno vs Alexandre Pantoja 07/08/2023 Fight Odds, Analysis and Picks

UFC 290: Moreno vs Pantoja 07/08/2023 – Two of the best 125-pound fighters in the world square off in the co-main event of UFC 290 on Saturday night, July 8, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Brandon Moreno defends his UFC flyweight title against Alexandre Pantoja in a five-round clash that is expected to unleash fireworks inside the octagon. It is a rematch of an encounter that happened five years ago in Santiago, Chile, where the Brazilian Pantoja won via unanimous decision.

Moreno is coming off a three-round technical knockout win over Deiveson Figueiredo to be crowned as the undisputed UFC flyweight champion in January. On the other hand, Pantoja picked up a one-round submission win over Alex Perez in July last year. This solidified his status as one of the top contenders in the 125-pound class. Moreno is slightly favored in the best online UFC betting odds due to his vast experience in title fights. However, keep in mind that Pantoja has beaten the Mexican and is well motivated to repeat the effort to capture the title.

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Main Card

Brandon Moreno

Moreno (21-6-2, 9-3-2 UFC) has stepped up his game since he absorbed his second straight defeat in May 2018. The Mexican had gone 6-1-2 in those matches, including two victories against Deiveson Figueiredo for the undisputed UFC flyweight title. After his saga with Figueiredo, Moreno will be back in the against one of the fighters who defeated him. In their previous encounter, the Brazilian dominated him from the opening bell en route to a 30-26 30-26 29-27 verdict. Five years later, they will fight again for the title, with Moreno hoping to exact revenge.

Stats-wise, the Tijuana-born fighter has 16 finishes in his MMA career, with 11 coming by submission and five by knockout. Interestingly, he has never been knocked out or lost via submission. Moreno hopes to use his three-inch reach advantage to distance himself from Pantoja’s attacks. The Mexican has landed 3.55 significant strikes per minute at an accuracy rate of 40%. He has absorbed 3.19 strikes per minute and his defense rate is 56%. In terms of grappling, Moreno has recorded 1.8 takedowns per 15 minutes at an accuracy rate of 45%. The Mexican fighter has defended 67% of the takedowns attempted against him. Meanwhile, his submission average is 0.58/15 minutes.

Alexandre Pantoja

Pantoja (25-5, 9-3 UFC) rose to the title picture after his victories to Manel Kape, Brandon Royval and Alex Perez. Two of those wins handed him the Performance of the Night honors. On Saturday, the fighter known as “The Cannibal” will fight Moreno for the second time. The 33-year-old Rio de Janeiro native seeks to prove that he is ready to beat the Mexican again to secure the UFC title.

In terms of statistics, Pantoja has 18 finishes (eight knockouts and 10 submissions) in 30 fights. The Brazilian has landed 4.25 strikes per minute at an accuracy rate of 48%. He has absorbed 3.38 strikes per minute and defended 54% strike attempts. In terms of grappling, Pantoja has normed 1.37 takedowns per 15 minutes in his UFC career at an accuracy rate of 40%. He has successfully defended 67% of the takedowns and has a submission average of 1.25 per 15 minutes.