Moreno vs Johnson Preview: Experience vs Output at UFC 335
Volume versus mileage: that's the short version of this flyweight pairing. Brandon "The Assassin Baby" Moreno (24-10-2), ranked #8, meets the unranked Charles "Inner G" Johnson (20-9-0) at UFC 335 on Dec. 12 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Moreno, who turns 33 on December 7, has been fighting in the Octagon since October 2016. Johnson, 35, made his UFC debut in July 2022.
Johnson is the busier and more accurate striker. He lands 4.60 significant strikes per minute at 50%, against Moreno's 3.86 at 44%, and he does far more work in the clinch, where 13% of his strikes land compared with Moreno's 6%. His knockdown average is 0.30 to Moreno's 0.17. He also gives up a little more in return: 3.93 absorbed per minute with 56% striking defense, against 3.69 and 60% for Moreno.
Moreno's edge is in the grappling and the mileage. Over his UFC career he has landed 1,375 significant strikes on 3,126 attempts; Johnson's tally is 934 of 1,885. Moreno averages 1.39 takedowns per 15 minutes, roughly three times Johnson's 0.44, and both men stop 67% of the takedowns they face. Most of Moreno's offense still comes standing (88% of his significant strikes), but his record tilts toward the mat: 11 of his 24 wins are submissions, alongside five knockouts and eight decisions, with eight first-round finishes. Curiously, he averages just 0.38 submission attempts per 15 in the UFC.
Johnson's wins break down as eight by knockout, eight by decision and four by submission, with four first-round finishes, and his UFC fights average 12:41. Moreno's run longer still, at 16:57. Johnson stands 5'9" to Moreno's 5'7", but they share a 70-inch reach, so neither has a length advantage to work with. The key question: can Johnson's output and clinch work outpace a far more experienced UFC fighter, or will Moreno turn it into a grappling fight where his takedown rate dwarfs Johnson's?
The early prelims begin at 2 p.m. local time, the prelims at 4 p.m. and the main card at 6 p.m. Get your seat: Moreno vs Johnson tickets.