UFC Fight Night 237: Moreno vs. Royval 2 | Event Profile, Full Results & Legacy
- Dana Black
- May 22
- 3 min read
Introduction
UFC Fight Night 237: Moreno vs. Royval 2 took place on February 24, 2024 at the Arena CDMX in Mexico City — the UFC’s sixth visit to Mexico City and first since September 2019. The flyweight main event was a rematch between former two-time champion Brandon Moreno and No. 3-ranked Brandon Royval, who replaced the injured Amir Albazi. More than 21,000 fans packed the arena for one of the most electric atmospheres of 2024.
Royval exacted revenge with a split decision (48-47, 46-49, 48-47) over Moreno, who had stopped him at UFC 255 in 2020. The co-main event saw Brian Ortega submit hometown favourite Yair Rodriguez with an arm-triangle choke — sending Rodriguez into an unprecedented career slump. Mexican prospects Daniel Zellhuber and Manuel Torres both impressed, earning PoN bonuses in front of their home crowd.
Quick Stats
📅 Date: Saturday, February 24, 2024
📍 Venue: Arena CDMX, Mexico City, Mexico | Att: 21,546
✅ Result: Brandon Royval def. Brandon Moreno via Split Decision (48-47, 46-49, 48-47) (Round 5, 5:00)
⭐ Notable: UFC returns to Mexico City after 5 years | Royval avenges UFC 255 loss | Ortega Sub Rodriguez R3 (Yair’s unprecedented slump) | Zellhuber PoN | Torres RNC R1 PoN | Naimov 44-sec TKO PoN | Rosas Jr. fight cancelled (illness) | 4 PoN, no FotN
Main Event & Key Results
Royval used relentless volume (556 total strike attempts) to overwhelm Moreno across five rounds. While Moreno was the more accurate striker (112 vs. 145 significant strikes) and controlled more time on the ground, Royval’s output and activity convinced two of three judges. The split decision avenged Royval’s first-round stoppage loss to Moreno at UFC 255 in November 2020.
Brian Ortega produced the co-main event’s biggest moment, submitting Yair Rodriguez with an arm-triangle choke at 0:58 of round three (PoN). Post-event facts confirmed Rodriguez had entered an unprecedented career slump. Daniel Zellhuber dominated Francisco Prado by UD in front of his hometown fans (PoN). Manuel Torres submitted Chris Duncan with an RNC at 1:46 of round one (PoN). Muhammad Naimov earned a PoN with a 44-second TKO on the prelims.
Full Results
Brandon Royval def. Brandon Moreno — Split Decision (48-47, 46-49, 48-47) R5 | Avenges UFC 255 loss
Brian Ortega def. Yair Rodriguez — Sub (Arm Triangle) R3 (PoN); Daniel Zellhuber def. Francisco Prado — UD R3 (PoN); Yazmin Jauregui def. Sam Hughes — UD R3; Manuel Torres def. Chris Duncan — Sub (RNC) R1 (PoN); Raoni Barcelos def. Cristian Quiñonez — Sub (RNC) R3; Muhammad Naimov def. Erik Silva — TKO R1, 0:44 (PoN)
Bonuses & Awards
🥊 Fight of the Night: No bonus awarded
🏆 Performance of the Night (4 bonuses): Brian Ortega ($50k), Daniel Zellhuber ($50k), Manuel Torres ($50k), Muhammad Naimov ($50k)
Legacy & Impact
UFC Mexico City was a massive success. Over 21,000 fans created one of the year’s most electric atmospheres, and the card delivered on every level. Royval’s revenge over Moreno re-established him as a flyweight title contender, while Ortega’s comeback submission of Rodriguez was a signature moment. The emergence of Zellhuber and Torres signaled a new generation of Mexican fighters ready to carry the torch as the UFC continues its expansion in Latin America.
References
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