Moreno v Pantoja UFC 290 betting preview & picks – flyweight title

Reigning flyweight champion Brandon Moreno will be out for revenge when he meets Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 290: Volkanovski vs Rodriguez in Las Vegas this weekend.

These combatants met in 2018, with the Brazilian taking the spoils; however, Moreno has since emerged as the dominant 125-pound fighter on the planet, while Pantoja has been forced to wait for his shot at UFC gold.

UFC 290: Moreno v Pantoja fight preview

#C Brandon Moreno vs #2 Alexandre Pantoja

Bradon Moreno (21-6-2) is the undisputed flyweight champion most famous for his four blockbuster contests against Deiveson Figueiredo. It is unprecedented for UFC fighters to meet on four occasions, but they were the dominant athletes at 125-pounds and the contests all made sense. The Mexican emerged with two wins, one loss, and one draw from the matchups to reign alone in the division.

Moreno is a studious fighter who leaves no stone unturned in pursuit of constant improvement. He is a cerebral contestant who out-thinks and outperforms his opponents in equal measure. He is the complete MMA athlete with excellent stand-up striking, footwork, and grappling skills. There are few chinks in the 29-year-old’s armour, although he has been involved in multiple wars and wear and tear will catch up eventually.

Alexandre Pantoja (25-5-0) enters this title match on a three-fight win streak and appears ready for a shot at UFC gold. The Brazilian has a deadly ground game and choked out Alex Perez and Brandon Royval at his most recent trips to the octagon. He boasts 10 submission victories as a professional, in addition to eight KO wins and seven via decision. His five losses have all come via points and Pantoja can tire toward the end of rounds, which may prove telling if this is a gruelling five rounder.

Pantoja will face a two-inch height and three-inch reach disadvantage against Moreno and is almost certain to lose the striking volume war. His best chance at victory lies in landing a heavy counter shot that leads to a submission opportunity. He will need to take risks early in the contest or is certain to be outpointed and lose via lopsided decision.

Moreno v Pantoja betting predictions

Moreno appears to have more routes to victory here and is priced accordingly with the top UFC betting sites. A smart approach for the champion would be to fight at long range, land his superior jab, and patiently pick Pantoja apart. The challenger will need to force the issue or face a slow and frustrating 25 minutes.

Pantoja has the experience to pull off the upset, but there appear too many obstacles in his path to earn the checkmark. If you fancy his chances, back the Brazilian via submission. We will be sticking with the reigning featherweight king and expect him to extend his time on the throne.

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