Coronavirus' Impact on MMAThe Coronavirus Chronicles: Brandon Moreno
Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream UFC on ESPN+ live on your computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app.
Ultimate Fighting Championship flyweight contender Brandon Moreno was one of the lucky ones. He was a participant at the promotion’s final event before the coronavirus pandemic resulted in the UFC’s cancellation of three subsequent shows. However, the situation leading into and during UFC Fight Night 170 in Brasilia, Brazil, created stressful memories Moreno will never forget.
“All the strange situations started Thursday,” Moreno told Sherdog.com. “The media [day was] cancelled, then the ceremonial weigh-ins, then the fight with no crowd. Everything was so weird. The moment you go to the Octagon and you don’t see the people, you start to feel weird. It was a little bit stressful because I was a little bit scared. First, because I went to Brasilia to fight. I did all of my fight camp [and] diet. I stayed healthy for this amazing fight, a huge opportunity for my future, and if I [didn’t get] the fight, it would be very sad for me, so I was scared [to] not get sick there in Brasilia, because I want to go back home to Tijuana, [Mexico, too]. If I get a little bit sick, even if it’s not coronavirus, maybe the government of Brasilia doesn’t let me go home.”
In this exclusive interview with Sherdog.com, Moreno discussed his pivotal win over Jussier Formiga, his dislike for top flyweight contender Deiveson Figueiredo, his belief that he deserves a shot at the 125-pound title next and his life in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis.
Help Prevent the Spread of the Coronavirus
Sherdog recommends all readers comply with CDC guidelines and remain as isolated as possible during this urgent time. Visit the Centers for Disease Control at CDC.gov or the World Health Organization at Who.int for the latest information on the coronavirus and learn what you can do to stop the spread.
