Although Saturday’s bout was closely contested, Moreno won all but one round on all three scorecards as the 31-year-old maintained a standing fight, keeping Erceg on the defensive throughout the contest.
Moreno did not finish the fight with a knockout, but he recorded 82 strikes compared to Erceg’s 67, preventing the Australian from pulling off an upset against the local favorite.
Following the fight, Moreno contacted UFC chief business officer Hunter Campbell to discuss potential future fights, with a particular interest in participating in UFC 320 on September 13 in Guadalajara, Mexico.
“I believe I can move the needle,” Moreno declared post-fight.
Erceg, now with three consecutive losses after a promising start in the UFC, expressed his intention to return stronger.
“I’ll be back,” said Erceg.
During the co-main event, Manuel Torres emerged victorious, securing a first-round technical knockout against 12-year UFC veteran Drew Dober, who absorbed at least 16 unanswered strikes before the referee intervened to stop the fight.
Torres recorded his first win in over a year, while Dober suffered his fourth loss in the last five fights, dating back to May 2023.
Earlier on Saturday, Mexico’s rising bantamweight sensation Raul Rosas Jr. rallied his home crowd with a unanimous decision victory over Vince Morales. Rosas Jr. withstood a late third-round D’arce choke attempt, ultimately winning 29-28 on all cards.
Rosas Jr., enjoying his fifth win in six recent appearances, effectively used his boxing skills to frustrate Morales, who hadn’t won a fight since August of the previous year.
