From Paris to Madrid, UFC to La Liga, Brandon Moreno’s Euro journey takes his model to the subsequent stage

MADRID — Brandon Moreno attended a VIP get together on Friday, Sept. 2, on the Eiffel Tower. The invitation was made by Ari Emanuel, the CEO of UFC dad or mum firm Endeavor.

Overlooking the Metropolis of Gentle, the UFC’s interim flyweight champion and his supervisor, Jason Home, chatted with Emanuel hours earlier than UFC Paris. The dialog revolved across the UFC’s enlargement plans in Latin America — together with the approaching UFC Efficiency Institute in Mexico Metropolis — and the way Moreno, the promotion’s first Mexican-born champion, components into them.

“[Emanuel] was simply very complimentary,” Home instructed ESPN. “He is very excited for the longer term, and we instructed him the identical. We’re very excited to be part of his course of and to be a brick within the basis.”

Moreno, born in Tijuana, is already the face of the UFC in Mexico and a cog within the firm’s future in Latin America. UFC president Dana White referred to him final month as “one of many largest stars on the roster.”

However Moreno made the journey to Europe this summer time to broaden his profile much more internationally. He visited Italy, Paris and Spain, the place he was escorted round Valencia and Madrid by executives from LaLiga, the nation’s legendary soccer league as a part of a collaboration with the UFC.

“I perceive my market is in Mexico and america, proper?” Moreno stated. “However to me, it’s extremely particular to go to an entire completely different nation, to a spot the place I am not anticipating nothing. I do not count on the man to know my title or no matter. However individuals know my title and are asking for an autograph or no matter. It is particular, too. The objective proper now could be to be extra acknowledged world wide. I am placing within the work proper now.”

That is all a part of the plan, Home stated. It began again in March when Moreno went to UFC London to do some media appearances.

“I feel actually our objective is to make Brandon a world star,” Home stated. “Not only a star in North America. However to extend our presence in these markets. These are large markets the UFC is increasing into and we form to need to be part of that development. Be sure Brandon is capitalizing on the alternatives that his success has introduced.”

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MORENO COVERED HIS mouth together with his arms, nearly in awe. Enrique, the chef of the well-known Casa Navarro restaurant in Valencia, displayed his famous paella to the table, which ignored the seaside.

Throughout the desk from Moreno for the Sunday afternoon meal was UFC featherweight prospect Ilia Topuria, who lives in Alicante, about two hours south of Valencia. After lunch, LaLiga officers whisked the 2 fighters over to Mestalla, the 99-year-old stadium of soccer staff Valencia CF. Moreno and Topuria spoke with teenagers from Valencia’s academy groups after which got a tour of the classic stadium by information Melanie Gasulla.

Outdoors the house locker room, Moreno and Topuria met gamers earlier than the sport and obtained to see the pitch, the place each joked round with Valencia mascot Tremendous Bat. Topuria even grounded the character down with a single-leg takedown for laughs. Afterward, they stayed for the sport, a 5-1 win for Valencia over Getafe.

Moreno and Topuria had been each inundated with requests for photographs from followers throughout their keep at Mestalla. After the sport, there have been followers ready exterior the stadium who had been instructed that the gamers had already left. The followers stated they had been truly there to see Moreno and Topuria.

“They had been asking for them,” LaLiga North American vp Nicolas Garcia Hemme stated. “They knew them. They noticed them.”

When LaLiga and the UFC cooked up the concept to collaborate — the assumption is there’s a large crossover viewers amongst Hispanic Individuals — Spanish league execs requested for Moreno to come back over particularly.

“Brandon is unimaginable,” stated Adrian Segovia, the LaLiga North America head of content material and distribution. “He is an instance of a household man. He is changing into a legend for [the UFC]. He is a winner. But in addition he is additionally a household man with all of the ideas that persons are shifting towards. We predict that is actually one thing that connects with the values of LaLiga.”

The expertise was an impactful one for Moreno, who grew up humbly in Tijuana taking part in FIFA video video games and dealing for his parents’ piñata business. A day later, Moreno was taken by prepare to Madrid to go to Cívitas Metropolitano, the house of LaLiga’s Atlético de Madrid. And Wednesday, Moreno would go to with the long-lasting Actual Madrid membership throughout city.

“LaLiga from Spain is loopy, man,” the 28-year-old Moreno stated. “It has a variety of historical past and a variety of soccer tradition. It was superior.”

That is the sort of alternative that Moreno is making an attempt to capitalize on, although, in an effort to construct his title.

“Sitting on my sofa shouldn’t be the best way to get extra consideration and extra eyes on my private model,” Moreno stated. “I have to exit and meet extra individuals and extra crowd. That is why we’re right here.”

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THE CURRENT PLAN, Home stated, is for Moreno to combat champion Deiveson Figueiredo to unify the UFC flyweight title subsequent. The bout is prone to happen at UFC 283 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Figueiredo’s residence nation.

Moreno and Figueiredo have met 3 times earlier than. The primary bout, in December 2020, was a majority draw and probably the greatest fights of that 12 months. Moreno gained the rematch through submission in June 2021 to change into the primary Mexican-born champion in UFC historical past. Figueiredo then obtained the higher of Moreno at UFC 270 again in January through tight unanimous resolution to win the belt again.

At UFC 277 on July 30, Moreno beat Kai Kara-France through third-round TKO to win the interim title, which was placed on the road as a result of Figueiredo had accidents to each arms. If and when Figueiredo and Moreno meet once more, will probably be the primary time in UFC historical past that two fighters compete in opposition to one another 4 instances.

“For Brandon and I, the phrase we at all times use is legacy,” Home stated. “I feel proper now we’re writing chapters of his legacy. And the fourth combat with Figueiredo, doing that quadrilogy is an important a part of that legacy. We’re actually excited to win this one and cement Brandon’s place as one of many high champions ever within the flyweight division after which tackle the up and coming challengers which might be gonna current themselves.”

After he gained the title in 2021, Moreno went on a prolonged media tour in Mexico, together with a visit to fulfill Mexican president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. Moreno is beloved in his residence nation, and Home feels assured his consumer may promote out Caliente Stadium in Tijuana — upward of 25,000 individuals — proper now. It is an MMA path that was paved first by Cain Velasquez, the primary Mexican American fighter to win the UFC heavyweight title and probably the greatest fighters ever to compete in that division.

Velasquez parted with the UFC in 2019 and was recently charged with tried premeditated homicide and a number of gun assault expenses in March 2022.

“I feel Cain opened a variety of doorways for us,” Home stated. “I feel we have continued what Cain began. Cain clearly was an enormous affect in Latin America, in Mexico. I undoubtedly assume he created alternatives for us that we have capable of take to the subsequent stage. And somebody hopefully will come behind our footsteps and go away it higher.”

That is certainly one of Moreno’s targets, too. He needs to take Mexican and Latin American MMA to better heights, however not only for him, for the subsequent era of fighters, too. Moreno stated he spoke about that with Emanuel, as effectively.

“Clearly, I do that for myself, to be one of the best and do one thing for my household,” Moreno stated. “However on the identical time, if I can do one thing for different individuals, I’ll. I promise. Ari seems very blissful, very motivated concerning the concepts sooner or later for Mexico and Latin America, normally.”

White has lengthy stated he needed a homegrown UFC star from Mexico. “He has one now,” Home stated. And Moreno and his staff do not plan on stopping there. On Sept. 5, Moreno spoke about his need to combat in entrance of a packed soccer stadium in Spain, like Cívitas Metropolitano, a stunning, high-tech facility that seats greater than 68,000.

Not unhealthy for a child who had a modest upbringing in Tijuana.

“Typically, I attempt to not assume an excessive amount of about it,” Moreno stated. “I am feeling strain every single day. Man, beginning with needing to combat in opposition to one other man, that is strain. Combating in entrance of hundreds of individuals, extra strain. And belts, extra strain. The media.

“However undoubtedly, it’s extremely good to assume how my work goes world wide and being acknowledged by the individuals, the UFC, the followers. It is good.”