Amanda Nunes, Nate Diaz, and other MMA pros react to Alexandre Pantoja becoming new flyweight champion at UFC 290

Brandon Moreno and Alexandre Pantoja went toe-to-toe for the UFC flyweight title in the co-main event of UFC 290.

Coming into the fight, Pantoja was riding a three-fight win streak that included victories over Manel Kape, Brandon Royval and Alex Perez. Moreno, on the other hand, was coming off two back-to-back stoppage victories against Kai Kara-France and Deiveson Figueiredo.

The fight was an exciting back-and-forth affair. Pantoja performed well in the first round, landing several heavy blows on 'The Assassin Baby'. But Moreno bounced back in the second round and started to get the better of his opponent.

The third and fourth rounds were highly competitive and both fighters had some success. Both fighters gave it their all inside the octagon and the contest eventually went to the judges' scorecards after 25 minutes.

Pantoja edged out a split decision and was crowned the new flyweight king as the three judges scored the bout 46-49, 48-47 and 48-47 in favor of 'The Cannibal'.

The fight sent the MMA world into a frenzy as several fighters took to Twitter to share their thoughts on the fight.

MMA superstar Nate Diaz commended the two athletes for the fight but picked Moreno as the rightful victor.

Former UFC fighter Ben Askren questioned the judge who scored the contest 49-46 in favor of Moreno.

Alexandre Pantoja is now 3-0 against Brandon Moreno

With the victory at UFC 290, Alexandre Pantoja has now defeated Brandon Moreno three times in MMA.

Prior to July 8, Pantoja and Moreno had shared the octagon on two separate occasions. Their first encounter was an exhibition bout on UFC's 'The Ultimate Fighter' in August 2016. 'The Cannibal' proved himself to be the better fight that night by submitting Moreno via a rear-naked choke in the second round.

The two athletes met again in May 2018. This time, a professional bout between them went the 15-minute distance and ended with a unanimous decision victory for Pantoja with 30-26, 30-26 and 29-27 on the three scorecards.

Considering how close their third scrap was at UFC 290, it would be no surprise if the two flyweights cross paths again for the flyweight title.

About the author

Puneet has a total of 2.5 years of experience and specializes in reporting on MMA and boxing for Sportskeeda. He holds a postgraduate diploma in Journalism & Mass Communication, which aided him in his writing skills.

The iconic interim featherweight title fight between Conor McGregor and Chad Mendes at UFC 189 in 2015 ignited Puneet’s passion for the sport. Former UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira stands out as Puneet’s favorite MMA fighter as he's drawn to 'Do Bronx's' captivating background story and entertaining persona. He is a believer of MMA being the world’s no.1 combat sport as opposed to Boxing.

While writing, Puneet ensures that his articles stay true to their titles and deliver valuable information to readers. He emphasizes the importance of embedding videos or pictures directly from their original sources to enrich the reader's experience.

Puneet’s professional achievements include covering major events such as UFC 264 and several boxing matches featuring renowned fighters like Canelo Alvarez, Tyson Fury, and Anthony Joshua.

Beyond MMA, Puneet likes to watch movies.

Know More