Moreno was initially supposed to fill a gatekeeper role during his Feb. 24 fight in Mexico. But plans changed. Instead of getting a relatively unknown prospect to fight in Amir Albazi, Moreno was forced to face off against a motivated challenger on short notice.

Moreno had to face off against Brandon Royval, whom Moreno beat in 2020 to earn his first title shot, on short notice after Albazi pulled out due to injury. The rematch ended up being much different than the first fight.

Moreno knocked Royval out the first time around but approached the rematch with a more passive approach. The lack of aggression may have cost Moreno the fight. He lost via split decision, thanks mainly to Royval’s impressive volume of strikes.

Moreno has now lost two split decisions against top fighters. He lost his title to Alexandre Pantoja via split decision to drop his flyweight belt last July. Moreno is a capable fighter with a well-rounded skill set that can match up well with anyone. 

What Moreno may have learned from fighting Pantoja again is that he needs a flashier approach to try and end fights early. Avoiding the judges in close fights could help Moreno get back on top.

Bringing Glory Back to Mexico

Moreno is best known in the UFC for his rivalry with Deiveson Figueiredo. The two men had four fights with each other in a little over a two-year stretch. Moreno finished with a 2-1-1 edge in the series, but the cost from those fights may add up for Moreno.

When Moreno lost his title at UFC 290, he fell to Pantoja. He had beaten Moreno earlier in the two men’s careers, long before they entered the championship picture. Moreno has averaged two fights a year since the start of 2022.

If that pattern continues, Moreno may only fight one more time this year. Fighting against Cejudo would give Moreno another solid name on his resume should he win, but a loss could see him fade away from chasing after another rematch with Pantoja.

Cejudo Is One of UFC’s Most Decorated Champions

It made sense when Cejudo retired after beating Dominick Cruz at UFC 249 in May 2020. While it seemed early for Cejudo to walk away, what did he have to prove? Not only had Cejudo held championships in two different UFC weight divisions, but he successfully defended the bantamweight and flyweight divisions.

Before joining the UFC, MMA fighting latest updates show that Cejudo was an Olympic gold medalist in wrestling. After defending his bantamweight championship with a second-round knockout of Cruz, Cejudo would retire in May 2020 and stay that way for three years, according to MMA news sites.

Return Has Been Tough on Cejudo

Following three years out of the fight game, Cejudo’s return didn’t see him start at the bottom of the rankings. In fact, Cejudo went immediately into a title shot against Aljamain Sterling at UFC 288. Considering Cejudo’s ring rust, it was a solid performance.

The two men went the distance. Cejudo was on the wrong side of a split decision, but he may still be able to hang with the competition in the UFC. However, one thing Cejudo couldn’t afford to do if he wanted to be champion again was to take too many losses. 

Cejudo’s next fight would be against Dvalishvili. Dvalishvili is a close friend of Sterling’s and dominated Cejudo with his wrestling. While Cejudo suffered an injury during a fight, it was surprising to see Cejudo being dominated in the sport he won an Olympic medal in.

Would Moreno-Cejudo Make Sense?

Cejudo hasn’t fought at flyweight since he defended his belt against T.J. Dillashaw in January 2019. Since then, Cejudo has been fighting at bantamweight. Being able to shave off the weight to compete in the lighter weight class may be challenging for Cejudo.

There is also a question the best MMA sites have about Cejudo. Will he be ready to retire at age 37? Fighters in their late 30s typically decline at a rapid rate. Former featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski recently suffered a brutal knockout loss after joking during the buildup to the fight about being over 35 years old.

Moreno, 30, has spent the past four years fighting against the division’s best fighters. While Moreno has won the flyweight championship twice during this period, he has lost three of his past five fights and is now No. 2 in the rankings.

If capturing a title is important to Moreno, staying away from a bout with Cejudo may be a good decision. Moreno may be able to win the fight, but beating Cejudo, who may be washed up at this point, may not do much to bolster his resume.

By Dean McHugh.