Brandon Moreno is the undisputed flyweight champion after defeating Deiveson Figueiredo in a third-round TKO victory that was not without controversy.
Moreno was in total control in the third round when the doctor called a stop to the fight due to an eye injury suffered by Figueiredo.
UFC 283 WRAP: Hill’s ‘unbelievable’ statement in bloody title war
Shogun farewelled with a KO & dance | 00:43
While both Moreno and the ESPN commentary team were firm in believing the injury was the result of a clean shot, the hometown hero Figueiredo disagreed — and the Rio faithful had his back too.
“It was Brandon’s night,” Figueiredo said post-fight.
“I felt the eye poke. I thought it was an eye poke but there is nothing much I can say. Hopefully I don’t have any long-lasting problems with my eyes.”
Figueiredo also confirmed he was moving up a division, growing “tired of making this weight” while Moreno was peppered with random objects by furious fans as he left.
It was a dramatic end to a fight that Moreno largely dominated, with the ESPN commentary team announcing he was leading 2-1 on all three judges’ scorecards when the fight was done.
Moreno scored an early takedown but was not in the right spot as Figueiredo got the guillotine attempt from half-guard, with both fighters soon back on their feet.
Figueiredo landed a few strong leg kicks while Moreno landed a combination to the head but Moreno was staying patient according to expert commentator Paul Felder.
Ferreira lands SHOCKING KO on Rodrigues | 00:27
“He’s kind of waiting, not throwing around the jab as much, just waiting for Figueiredo to open up with the big shots and then looking to counter,” Felder said.
Moreno scored another takedown later in the first round but it again did not lead to anything outside of a leg lock battle between the pair.
Even still, Moreno was effectively using his wrestling and mixing in body shots to tire Figueiredo, with Felder adding that he was also challenging the cardio of Figueiredo by dictating the pace of the fight.
Daniel Cormier urged Figueiredo to do something to change that and countered one of Moreno’s takedown attempts with a guillotine choke.
Moreno though remained patient as Figueiredo squeezed tighter, eventually popping his head free and surviving.
There was a moment of drama in the third round after a big left from Moreno appeared to hit the eye of Figueiredo, who immediately protested and tried to call on the refs to stop the fight.
His pleas fell on deaf ears though, with Felder saying in commentary that the eye was “definitely bothering” Figueiredo, who had been limited to just 17 significant strike connections by that point.
Epic flying knee ENDS McKinney | 00:24
Boos rang out from the Brazilian crowd as replays showed the alleged eye poke, chanting: “Hey ref, f*** you” according to MMA Fighting’s Guilherme Cruz.
With Figueiredo’s eye closing up, the doctor then stopped the fight giving Moreno the win and his belt back.
Both Cormier and Felder in commentary agreed that it was a fair result.
“Right here you see the punch Moreno lands,” Cormier said.
“Look, he hits him with the knuckle, hits with the thumb and he does touch him on the face. But his thumb is on the forehead.
“He does not catch him on the eye. Make no mistake about it. The right hand touches the forehead on the other side.”
“I know the crowd will see the hands go out and fingers go close to the eye but it was that knuckle… it was 100 per cent a clean punch thrown,” added Felder.
