UFC Comes to Santiago, Chile for the First Time

The UFC will arrive in Santiago, Chile for the first time in its history this weekend, and Brandon Moreno is one of the fighters who will participate in this historic event.

Two fights between the Tijuana fighter and Ray Borg were postponed, one due to Moreno's injury and the other due to Conor McGregor's attack on several fighters at UFC 223; and the third fight was finally canceled due to Borg's retirement because of his son's health problems:

"What I experienced at UFC 223 doesn't compare to what he is going through. His baby was two weeks old, so the mental stress started there. Then McGregor's incident happened, and he couldn't earn the money that could have been for his child, and later he found out that his son needed brain surgery. It weighs heavily on me, because I am also a father. He is a true warrior," he said via telephone from the South American country.

RAY BORG AND HIS WIFE WITH BABY ANTHONY AFTER THEIR SURGERIES

Due to all the changes in the clash between Moreno and Borg, the preparation of the 'Assassin Baby' hasn't stopped.

"I feel like I'm finally going to let it all out. I see it like a bomb that is going to explode, when I found out that the fight in New York was canceled, it was frustrating. I have a lot of hunger to get in there and fight, I love being active, staying fit, and fighting."

On Saturday night, Alexandre Pantoja will be on the other side of the octagon, his executioner in The Ultimate Fighter. Pantoja ended Moreno's participation in the reality show by submitting him with a rear-naked choke in the second round:

"A lot of things happened there, my mistakes because I got involved in a fight that wasn't the smartest. The reality show is a difficult platform because you find out five days before who you are going to fight. I think this time it will be different, he loves to strike, his main style is stand-up game, I am a jiu-jitsu fighter, but also Mexican, I like to engage in striking. I'm not the same person who faced him two years ago, but I'm sure he isn't either," he explained.

His opponent prepared for this fight with fellow promoter fighter Henry Cejudo, whom Moreno has a good friendship with. The fight with Pantoja will be the first rematch in the Mexican's career.

"I always thought that I would feel something when this happened. It occurred to me that I would have mixed feelings with Alexandre, but I feel very relaxed. I didn't feel any extra pressure when they announced that he was my opponent, I wanted to fight, I was healthy, and I had several camps behind me. It's nothing personal for me, the only thing on my mind is that he is a very tough fighter," he said.

If Moreno comes out on top Saturday night, his next fight would be to try to break into the Top 5 of the UFC flyweight division, where Joseph Benavidez is, whom he has a good relationship with. The Mexican says he doesn't have a specific opponent in mind, but several ideas:

"I don't have a clear plan, but I think I would ask for Ray Borg again, although they say that every fighter has a cursed fight. It could be Jussier da Silva or a rematch with Sergio Pettis after winning this fight because I would love to get rid of those two thorns," said the 125-pound athlete.