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\nBrandon Moreno vs. Joseph Morales, Noche UFC ceremonial weigh-in Credit: Eddie Law\/Cageside Press<\/p>\n
Former flyweight champion Brandon Moreno looked to snap a two-fight skid when he faced off against Joseph Morales at Noche UFC.<\/p>\n
Morales was on his second stint in the UFC, and had won The Ultimate Fighter 33<\/em> last year.<\/p>\n Morales hit the mark with his right hand early, but hand to contend with a body shot from Moreno. The pair then clinched up, and Moreno, swinging wild, clipped Morales with a left. Moreno slipped off a kick, recovered, and attacked the body. A left hand over the top connected for the ex-champ. Moreno was opening up, but Morales was able to get him to the ground\u2014 only for Moreno to scramble back to his feet. The rest of the round played out on the feet, both men having their moments.<\/p>\n Both fighters took some big swings in round two, and when Morales looked for a takedown, Moreno was able to fight it off. That was forcing Morales to trade with the former champ. Moreno was dumped off a caught kick, but rolled with it and was right back to his feet. More back-and-forth followed, and two scrappy rounds had the fight still up in the air by the time round three arrived, though Morales\u2019 corner suggested he was down two rounds heading into the third. Moreno\u2019s corner told him they were \u201cvery close rounds.\u201d<\/p>\n Moreno stuffed a takedown early in the third, and actually managed to get on top later in the round. While Morales was active off his back, the former flyweight champ spent several minutes in top position, controlling the TUF winner. Not a ton of damage from Moreno, but he was constantly working, and did find space for an elbow and a few big punches. He finished the fight on top, almost certainly doing enough to return to the win column.<\/p>\n