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Brandon Moreno doesn’t think his arm was broken at UFC 256, but he will need some time to recover before a rematch with champion Deiveson Figueiredo.
UFC commentator Joe Rogan speculated during the action-packed title fight that Moreno was not hitting due to his broken limb. However, it was a shoulder injury that Moreno believes held him back in the fifth round of a “Fight of the Year” candidate.
“I don’t think it’s broken, but I threw too many punches and I felt something on my shoulder,” Moreno said. “After that, I felt amazing. I feel great, to be honest. [I threw the jab very hard], and something appeared on my shoulder. But I think it’s okay. “
At least that’s how Moreno felt in the immediate moments after the fight. When his adrenaline dropped, the effects of a five-round battle could no longer be ignored. (He was later transferred to a local hospital).
“To be honest, I feel too much pain all over my body,” Moreno said on the ESPN + post-fight show. But at the same time, I feel very happy. I wanted to bring that happiness to my country and my family. But it is what it is. I am very happy to take advantage of this opportunity and I am ready to be with my family and my children ”.
Both fighters had no reason to feel depressed after the excitement they provided at UFC APEX on Saturday night. Although there was no official winner, UFC president Dana White called the fight the best in flyweight history. Social media was full of praise for the champion and the challenger.
A rematch is already planned after the flyby title fight ended in a majority draw. Both fighters took the fight on very short notice after two wins at UFC 255; Figueiredo defended the belt with a quick submission by Alex Pérez and Moreno stopped Brandon Royval. The stress of a second weight reduction in three weeks sent Figueiredo to the hospital the night before the fight, he revealed after the fight.
As the title fight went into deep water, Moreno seemed to gain momentum, repeatedly hitting the champion with difficult combinations and final takedowns that denied the champion a chance to land more hard shots. Until the fifth round, it was an extremely close fight, but Moreno said he was not counting on the victory.
“I was expecting a little more power from him,” Moreno said. “Even though he has power, obviously he is, because when he took my body shots, I felt it. But I started to get more confident during the fight. I think I needed to put more pressure in the fifth round, but it is what it is.
Moreno is on board for the rematch without question, but like Figueiredo, he will need time to recover. Depending on the severity of their injuries, it could be well into 2021 before either of them is ready to fight again.
“[After] the last eight weeks of 2020, I need to rest, ”Moreno said. “Figueiredo also needs to rest. You have all my respect. He is the champion. Usually it takes a long time for the champion to rest. It did not. He took the fight. I have too much respect for him. “
The two undoubtedly share a bond that cannot be removed. But Moreno wants a decisive end to their competitive rivalry.
“We need a rematch, for me, for the fans, for Figueiredo, for everyone,” he told Rogan. “For sports, of course.”
