Report: Brandon Moreno set to make quick turnaround after controversial UFC 323 stoppage

Former UFC flyweight champion Brandon Moreno is reportedly already set for his next Octagon appearance just days after UFC 323.

Brandon Moreno was on the losing end of a controversial stoppage at UFC 323 last Saturday in Las Vegas. But just days after his latest setback in the cage, it sounds like Moreno isn’t wasting time in kicking off another fight camp.

The former UFC flyweight champion, Moreno, lost to Tatsuro Taira by TKO in Round 2, in a stoppage labeled early by many fans and pundits. The loss snapped a recent winning streak by Moreno and eliminated any possibility he’d feature in the next flyweight title matchup.

Moreno took to social media to express his disappointment in the questionable stoppage just hours after UFC 323. Luckily, he reportedly won’t need to wait long for a chance at redemption.

Report: Brandon Moreno vs. Asu Almabayev in the works for UFC Mexico on February 28

According to Russian MMA journalist Vestnik, a flyweight matchup between Moreno and surging flyweight contender Asu Almabayev is reportedly already in the works for UFC Mexico City on February 28th. This would make an extremely quick turnaround for Moreno, meaning his next camp could begin just days after his most recent fight.

The UFC released its Quarter 1 event schedule last weekend during the UFC 323 broadcast, with a card scheduled for February 28th in Mexico City. The promotion will also return to Seattle and Houston to begin 2026.

As of this writing, the Moreno vs. Almabayev fight hasn’t been announced by the UFC and isn’t finalized.

If the matchup comes to fruition, it’ll mark easily the biggest test of the upstart Almabayev’s UFC tenure easily. He most recently submitted Alex Perez at UFC Qatar and has won two straight bouts since a TKO loss to Manel Kape.

Meanwhile, newly-crowned UFC flyweight champion Joshua Van could potentially face Alexandre Pantoja in an immediate rematch after UFC 323, depending on Pantoja’s recovery timeline. The Moreno vs. Almabayev winner could make a strong case for a title shot with an impressive performance.