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MADRID — Brandon Moreno attended a VIP party on Friday, Sept. 2, at the Eiffel Tower. The invitation was made by Ari Emanuel, the CEO of UFC parent company Endeavor.
Overlooking the City of Light, the UFC’s interim flyweight champion and his manager, Jason House, chatted with Emanuel hours before UFC Paris. The conversation revolved around the UFC’s expansion plans in Latin America — including the impending UFC Performance Institute in Mexico City — and how Moreno, the promotion’s first Mexican-born champion, factors into them.
“[Emanuel] was just very complimentary,” House told ESPN. “He’s very excited for the future, and we told him the same. We’re very excited to be a part of his process and to be a brick in the foundation.”
Moreno, born in Tijuana, is already the face of the UFC in Mexico and a cog in the company’s future in Latin America. UFC president Dana White referred to him last month as “one of the biggest stars on the roster.”
But Moreno made the trip to Europe this summer to expand his profile even more internationally. He visited Italy, Paris and Spain, where he was escorted around Valencia and Madrid by executives from LaLiga, the country’s legendary soccer league as part of a collaboration with the UFC.
“I understand my market is in Mexico and the United States, right?” Moreno said. “But to me, it’s very special to go to a whole different country, to a place where I’m not expecting nothing. I don’t expect the guy to know my name or whatever. But people know my name and are asking for an autograph or whatever. It’s special, too. The goal right now is to be more recognized around the world. I’m putting in the work right now.”
That’s all part of the plan, House said. It started back in March when Moreno went to UFC London to do some media appearances.
“I think really our goal is to make Brandon a global star,” House said. “Not just a star in North America. But to increase our presence in these markets. These are big markets the UFC is expanding into and…
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Source : espn
