It's Official: Brandon Moreno vs. Charles Johnson Set for UFC 335 in December

First reported by MMA Fighting and relayed by SI.com, the matchup is now confirmed: the UFC announced on October 12 that Brandon Moreno will face Charles Johnson at UFC 335 on December 12 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

On paper, it's a fascinating collision. Moreno, 32, is a two-time flyweight champion and still ranked No. 9 at 125 pounds, even after a rocky run — he closed 2025 with a stoppage loss to Tatsuro Taira at UFC 323, then lost to Lone'er Kavanagh in Mexico City in February before a bounce-back split-decision win over Joseph Morales at Noche UFC earlier this month. The Mexican star remains one of the most popular fighters in the sport, and a year-end Vegas card is exactly the stage for a former champion trying to climb back.

Johnson's momentum is arguably even hotter. "Inner G" authored one of 2024's nastiest knockouts when he starched Joshua Van at 0:20 of the third round at UFC Denver — Van's only UFC defeat — then added a knockout of Kavanagh in Shanghai last August and, most recently, submitted Eduardo "Chapolin" Henrique with a rare Scottish Twister at UFC 330. Few flyweights have finished bigger names in more violent fashion over the past two years.

Stylistically, it's a genuine test for both men. Moreno brings championship experience, the division's best gas tank, and a scrambling game that has carried him through five-round wars. Johnson brings a finishing instinct that has ended fights standing and on the mat, and a confidence that borders on the theatrical. The winner moves closer to a title shot; the loser likely falls out of the conversation for a while.

Now it's real: UFC 335 gets a flyweight fight with real stakes — a former champion with something to prove, and a contender who has never needed an invitation to steal a show. When Bruce Buffer reads the names on December 12, the winner walks out one step closer to a title shot.