UFC Fight Night 96 winner Brandon Moreno doesn't want to fight in Mexico City, but targets 3-4 fights next year

In case you missed it, UFC Fight Night 96’s Brandon Moreno was the feel-good moment of the FS1-televised event.

A short-notice replacement who’d flamed out on “The Ultimate Fighter 24,” Moreno (12-3 MMA, 1-0 UFC) took on Louis Smolka (11-2 MMA, 5-2 UFC), the No. 14 fighter in the USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA flyweight rankings, and picked up an upset first-round submission. He was overcome with joy in his post-fight celebration.

For his efforts, Moreno also took home a $50,000 bonus for “Performance of the Night.”

“I’m Mexican, so the taxes in the U.S. are really expensive,” he told MMAjunkie Radio. “But it’s my money.”

With such an impressive win, Moreno’s future is looking bright in the flyweight division. While many fans have wondered if the Mexican could make a homecoming at UFC Fight Night 98, which takes place Nov. 5 in Mexico City, he needs some time to regroup.

“A lot of people are talking about me fighting in Mexico, but it’s really fast for me,” he said. “I had this fight on two weeks’ notice, so if I’m fighting in Mexico, it’s really fast. I need to go to Mexico City for training. I want to fight in February or March maybe, and I want to have three or four fights in 2017.”

Moreno, a former World Fighting Federation champion, came into the Smolka fight only slightly removed from his time on the reality show, from which he was eliminated after an exciting back-and-forth fight with Alexandre Pantoja in the opening round.

Despite the setback, Moreno said it was a good experience because, obviously, it lead him to where he is right now.

“I didn’t win, but I learned a lot in this fight,” he said. “Right now, I feel like a new fighter. My skills in the cage are really a lot better. I really appreciate the time on ‘TUF.’ I feel great that life gave me an opportunity with Smolka. I took the opportunity with Smolka, and my life changed.”

Moreno’s “TUF 24” coach, Joseph Benavidez, traveled on his own dime to watch his win over Smolka. He hasn’t decided whether he’ll do the same when Benavidez meets opposing coach Henry Cejudo, his friend and former training partner, at the show’s finale on Dec. 3 in Las Vegas.

“It’s really difficult for me,” Moreno said. “It’s horrible.”

But, of course, these are good problems to have when you’re a young, successful fighter.

For complete coverage of UFC Fight Night 96, check out the UFC Events section of MMAjunkie.