Brandon Moreno still stands head and shoulders above the vast majority of the Ultimate Fighting Championship flyweight division.
The two-time champion kept his head moving, trusted his jab and ducked into power punches, as he outstruck Amir Albazi to a unanimous decision in the UFC Fight Night 246 headliner on Saturday at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta. All three judges scored it for Moreno (22-8-2, 10-5-2 UFC): 49-46, 50-45 and 50-45.
In his first fight since June 3, 2023, Albazi (17-2, 5-1 UFC) was out of his depth. Moreno brought all his weapons to bear in the 25-minute battle, hammering away at the Fight Ready rep with probing jabs, crisp combinations and repeated left hooks around the guard. He staggered Albazi with a head kick in the second round and a left hook off the break in the fifth. The moments in between saw Moreno put copious amounts of damage on “The Prince,” opening multiple cuts around his right eye. Quite simply, he could do no wrong in administering a thorough and exhaustive beatdown.
Meanwhile, Erin Blanchfield passed her most significant test to date and bounced back from a March 30 loss to Manon Fiorot with a unanimous decision over two-time strawweight champion Rose Namajunas in the five-round co-main event at 125 pounds. Blanchfield (13-2, 7-1 UFC) swept the scorecards with matching 48-47 marks from the cageside judiciary, keeping her name near the front of the line for would-be flyweight title contenders.
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Namajunas (13-7, 11-6 UFC) seemed to be pointed in the right direction after two rounds, as she pushed out to a clear lead with a steady jab, effective counters from both hands and stellar footwork. Blanchfield had other ideas. The onetime Eddie Bravo Invitational winner paired a takedown with extended top control in the third round, built some confidence and kept pressing forward. She outpaced Namajunas in the standup department down the stretch, delivered another takedown in the fifth round and salted away the win by moving from side control to a crucifix, all while applying her ground-and-pound.
Blanchfield, 25, has won 10 of her past 11 bouts.
Further down the main card, Brazilian TKO’s Brendson Ribeiro connected with a majority of the consequential blows and managed to eke out a split decision over Caio Machado in a relatively uneventful three-round light heavyweight showcase. All three judges scored it 29-28: Thomas Collins for Machado, Sal D’Amato and Michael Bell for Ribeiro.
Neither man seized the reins. Machado (8-4-1, 0-3 UFC) circled incessantly behind kicks while his counterpart gave chase without attempting to cut off the cage. Frustrating periods of inaction were interrupted by tantalizing bursts of violence. Ribeiro (16-7, 1-2 UFC) snapped back the ex-Battlefield Fight League titleholder’s head on more than one occasion by stepping into powerful right hands and zeroed in on the body with kicks when opportunities presented themselves, doing just enough to get by on the scorecards.
It was the first decision victory of Ribeiro’s career.
Elsewhere, Niagra Top Team export Jasmine Jasudavicius put away former KSW champion Ariane Lipski with a brabo choke in the third round of their women’s flyweight attraction. Jasudavicius (12-3, 6-2 UFC) brought it to a close 2:28 into Round 3, winning for the third time in as many outings.
Lipski (17-10, 6-7 UFC) held her own in the standup exchanges but lacked the means to stay upright against the persistent Canadian grappler. Jasudavicius delivered a takedown inside the first 90 seconds of the middle stanza and proceeded to maul the Brazilian with positional advances and sustained ground-and-pound. Lipski withstood the assault but looked very much like a fighter teetering on the brink as she retreated to her corner. Jasudavicius secured a takedown early in the third round, unleashed another barrage and rolled into the fight-ending brabo choke.
The 30-year-old Lipski has lost back-to-back bouts.
Deeper into the draw, Dustin Stoltzfus recorded his first knockout in more than five years, as he buried Kill Cliff Fight Club’s Marc-Andre Barriault with punches in the first round of their middleweight feature. Barriault (16-9, 5-8 UFC) met his end 4:28 into Round 1.
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Stoltzfus (16-6, 3-5 UFC) capitalized on a slip from his opponent, powered into top position, clamped down on a three-quarter nelson and moved to full mount. Barriault scrambled to his feet and touched off a brief but violent exchange. Stoltzfus floored him with a clean right hook, then mopped up what was left with a pair of hammerfists before referee Marc Goddard could arrive on the scene.
Barriault now finds himself on a three-fight losing streak.
Finally, Dana White’s Contender Series graduate Mike Malott rebounded from his Jan. 20 defeat to Neil Magny with a unanimous decision over Trevin Giles in a three-round welterweight appetizer. All three judges sided with Malott (11-2-1, 4-1 UFC), who has rattled off seven wins in eight appearances.
It was a tepid 15-minute encounter, and Giles (16-7, 7-7 UFC) leaned almost entirely on his jab. Malott answered with kicks to all levels and the occasional punching burst, all while staying ahead of his counterpart on the output front. Giles often connected whenever he threw but struggled to get off more than one shot at a time. Malott was the beneficiary of his inactivity.
Giles has lost three fights in a row.
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