MEXICO CITY -- The making of piñatas is a gentle and patient process. Brandon Moreno would paste newspaper clippings on inflated balloons. After they dried out, the balloon popped. Then came the paint. Some time later, the crude shapes turned into papier-maché versions of superheroes, cartoon characters and even effigies of politicians.

Once complete, there's another round of brutal, exhausting mixed martial arts training, well into the evening.

“That’s how we made ends meet,” Moreno said. “I can say making piñatas made my dream possible.”

Brandon Moreno’s family started making and selling piñatas in his hometown of Tijuana, Mexico, shortly after he was born. Early on in life, the current UFC pro joined the business.

Now 23 years old and headlining his first event, UFC Fight Night 114 on Aug. 5 in Mexico City, Moreno appeared confident in his preparation and sure of his skills, yet aware of the magnitude of the upcoming card.

“It’s more pressure than I’m used to, yes, and it makes me a little nervous,” he said of the main event against Sergio Pettis, the Milwaukee-born fighter who is former UFC lightweight division Anthony Pettis’ younger brother. “But I’m very happy and proud of all the work I’ve done.”

A win against Pettis could potentially produce a title shot against the division’s champion and UFC’s current top pound-for-pound fighter, Demetrious Johnson. It’s a massive opportunity, one almost derailed by Moreno quitting the sport altogether just a few years ago.

Fighting in low-level mixed martial art circuits in Tijuana, Moreno recalled his first bout as a professional, a win in 2011 over Atiq Jihad, yielding little more than $70. He alternated wins and losses early on, his record standing at 3-3 after a loss to Brenson Hansen in July of 2012.

“The results weren’t there,” Moreno said. “It was frustrating. I didn’t know what I needed to take the next step.” However, he persisted. He hasn’t lost since, winning 11 straight over the past five years.

Moreno credits his other family, the fighters and teachers at Entram gym in Tijuana, with pushing him to succeed.

“I started [at Entram] in 2006, when I was 12 years old,” Moreno said. “I was tired of being a chubby kid, so my mom wanted me to have an after-school activity. She spotted a flyer, called to enroll me and I’ve been there ever since.”

He soon became Raul Arvizu’s star pupil. Arvizu, a 39-year-old Mexican-American, has launched the next generation of Mexican prospects.

“Raul has opened a lot of doors,” said Enrique “Henry” Briones, a bantamweight from Entram, signed to UFC since 2014. “He’s constantly updating [his knowledge], always reading and learning new things and passing them along. He pushes us to be our best.”

“I have to say, he’s like a father to many of us,” said Jose “Teco” Quiñonez, another UFC pro in the Entram stable. “He started all of this for us.”

Arvizu’s gym has become a feeder for those looking to make the jump to the major circuit. Several of his pupils have featured on "The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America," the UFC’s hybrid reality TV show and scouting tool.

On the program, two teams of prospects are up against each other, coached by current pros. The first Latin American edition, in 2014, faced Team Mexico, coach by Mexican-American Cain Velasquez, against the rest of Latin America, coached by Brazilian Fabricio Werdum, a former UFC heavyweight champion. Entram provided half of the recruits for Team Mexico.

Currently, the gym houses active UFC pros Moreno, Briones, Quiñonez and Martin Bravo, among others. All four will be featured on the Aug. 5 card in Mexico City. Of the group, Moreno is both the youngest and most highly touted.

“I’ve watched Brandon work for years now, and I’ve seen how much he’s sacrificed,” Quiñonez said. “This is a great opportunity for him. I hope he takes it and goes all the way to the championship.”

The fight will pit Moreno, a skilled tactician who has obtained 10 of his 14 career wins via submission, against Pettis, a cerebral opponent who has gone the distance in nine of his 15 victories.

Conscious of his opponent’s tendency to wear opponents down, Moreno has trained for more than a month in Mexico City, adapting to the high altitude, scarce oxygen and sharp contamination levels.

“The first week was hard, adapting to the city,” he said. “But I’m acclimated now. Cardio won’t be an issue the day of fight night.”

Despite the adaptation, Moreno’s goal is clear.

“This is the first time in my career I’m going into a five-round fight. To be honest, I don’t want it to go the distance. I want the result to be in my hands, not the judges.”

Though not as popular as boxing, mixed martial arts have found an audience in Mexico, a fact UFC is aware of. A homegrown champion would go a long way toward furthering the organization’s popularity in the country.

“Mexico is very important to us,” UFC President Dana White said in February. “I see Brandon Moreno becoming a star.”

A win for Moreno would, indeed, keep his star on the rise, allowing him to potentially compete for the flyweight title sometime next year (he has said this will likely be his last fight in 2017). Met with the possibility of becoming the face of MMA in Mexico and the country’s most popular fighter. Another popular Mexican fighter is Yair Rodriguez, winner of the featherweight tournament at Ultimate Fighter: Latin America in 2014. The Chihuahua native lost his last UFC fight on a TKO. He's the cousin of Rio Olympics bronze medalist middleweight division boxer Misael Rodriguez.

Though hailing from Salinas, California, Mexico's MMA fans have embraced Cain Velasquez, the two-time UFC heavyweight champion, currently ranked #3.

Moreno is equal parts honest and ambitious.

“This is a great chance for me to move up in the rankings,” he said. “I want to carry that flag for all Mexicans. I’m ready to take the next step.”