Is Brandon Moreno the most popular Flyweight in UFC history?

[Dr. Rose]

I think it's more respect than it is popularity.

To use a basketball reference, someone like Tim Duncan is not very popular, but it'd be difficult to talk about the best basketball players of all time without mentioning him in some type of positive light. I think DJ is something close to that.

Tim Duncan is a much more respected and higher rated player among serious circles than say Vince Carter or Allen Iverson, but I dont think it'd necessarily be incorrect to say he is less popular than them.

Older equivalent would be Kareem Abdul Jabar vs Bird/Magic.

Nice way of looking at it. IT might be a little bit of both.

 

[theincognito]

Definitely, but none of them have been popular compared to other divisions. Most fans look at flyweight as a nuisance more equivalent to WMMA than top men's divisions.

 

[Koro_11]

This has always been a divison that struggle with needle movers but Moreno seems to have substantial fanbase especially amoung Spanish speaking fans.

There is a good chance he headlines Noche UFC 3.

The only competion I see is Muhhamd Mokaev and is Mulsim fanbase.

What do you Sherbums think?

LOL @ Mokaev.

You're really disconnected from reality sometimes.

 

[STAY GOLD]

LOL @ Mokaev.

You're really disconnected from reality sometimes.

Mokaev wasn't popular in the US, but he was in other countries. Same with Moreno. He's not very popular in the US, but he is in Latin America.

Both are more popular than DJ worldwide. We're not talking about abilities. We're talking about worldwide popularity. When DJ was in the UFC, he wasn't a draw despite being one of the best fighters in the world at the time.

 

[Bowel-forged Stool]

I think it's more respect than it is popularity.

To use a basketball reference, someone like Tim Duncan is not very popular, but it'd be difficult to talk about the best basketball players of all time without mentioning him in some type of positive light. I think DJ is something close to that.

Tim Duncan is a much more respected and higher rated player among serious circles in basketball than say Vince Carter or Allen Iverson, but I dont think it'd necessarily be incorrect to say he is less popular than them.

Older equivalent would be Kareem Abdul Jabar vs Bird/Magic.

 

[Koro_11]

Mokaev wasn't popular in the US, but he was in other countries. Same with Moreno. He's not very popular in the US, but he is in Latin America.

Both are more popular than DJ worldwide. We're not talking about abilities. We're talking about worldwide popularity. When DJ was in the UFC, he wasn't a draw despite being one of the best fighters in the world at the time.

What other countries? No one knows who Mokaev is outside the hard-core fan base. At least Brendan Moreno is known among a bunch of Mexican casuals, he held titles and headlined events. Mokaev has beaten no one and accomplished nothing significant for people to know about him, I can’t remember a single moment in any of his fights, just one decision after another, and that that’s me who’s a hard-core fan.

 

[TJ Dillashank]

Mighty Mouse rightfully is but the Mexicans love for Moreno is sure strong.

 

[STAY GOLD]

What other countries? No one knows who Mokaev is outside the hard-core fan base. At least Brendan Moreno is known among a bunch of Mexican casuals, Mokaev has beaten no one and accomplished nothing significant for people to know about him, I can’t remember a single moment in any of his fights, just one decision after another, and that that’s me who’s a hard-core fan.

Mokaev's following is mainly from Muslim majority countries. Muslims tend to follow fighters who share their faith. There's Muslim fighters who've never competed in the UFC, Bellator or PFL that have bigger followings than a lot of UFC fighters.

 

[Koro_11]

Mokaev's following is mainly from Muslim majority countries. Muslims tend to follow fighters who share their faith. There's Muslim fighters who've never competed in the UFC, Bellator or PFL that have bigger followings than a lot of UFC fighters.

And the casual Muslim fans are gonna be following exciting fighters like Makhachev, Khamzat, etc... not a decision fighter who got cut from the UFC and has no real hype behind him.

We're not talking about hardcore fans here, obviously me and you know Mokaev, but to be really popular you need to have a casual fanbase, and I don't think even 5% of casuals know who Mokaev is.

 

[savemgs]

This has always been a divison that struggle with needle movers but Moreno seems to have substantial fanbase especially amoung Spanish speaking fans.

There is a good chance he headlines Noche UFC 3.

The only competion I see is Muhhamd Mokaev and is Mulsim fanbase.

What do you Sherbums think?

That’s not exactly a high bar when you consider that a 50-plus-year-old Ken Shamrock and a 40-something Kimbo Slice outdrew Demetrious Johnson at the absolute peak of his career. Sure, why not—Moreno can have that title.

 

[Dreyga Hates You Sherbums]

LOL @ Mokaev.

You're really disconnected from reality sometimes.

I think you are the one who is disconnected from reality. Mokaev has 1.8 million followers. For comparison, Derek Lewis has about 2.1 million followers and is considered a fan of favor. I would argue that Muhammad is a similar popularity as the Black Beast. Plus, Muhammad is very early in his career and his fan base will only grow with time. He will be one the most popular flyweight in history of MMA before his career is over