Brandon Moreno was booked into the UFC Mexico City main event expecting to face Asu Almabayev.
Thanks to an injury to Almabayev, the best the UFC could do was Lone’er Kavanagh. One of the more lopsided main events in recent memory, given the British flyweight was ranked outside of the top 15, and was coming off a loss to Charles Johnson.
A win by Kavanagh would be considered nothing short of a massive upset. Upset of the Year, perhaps, even in February. The MMA Gods certainly are tricksters.
Moreno opened the first round putting Kavanagh off-balance with one of his first punches. The Brit regrouped and reset, looking for a way in on the ex-champ. Moreno fired a left, but hit air. Kavanagh snapped a kick, but didn’t connect either. Kavanagh went after the lead leg of Moreno, playing the long game to chip away at his mobility.
By the second round, those kicks had begun to have the desired effect, as Moreno could be seen shaking his leg out, and taking shorter steps. Later in the round, it was Kavanagh coming on strong, hurting Moreno! Moreno ducked down and was nearly smoked by a Kavanagh head kick! The ex-champ was under fire though he would manage to pull out of harm’s way and survive.
Lone'er Kavanagh connects in RD2! 🎯
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— UFC (@ufc) March 1, 2026
Round three saw Moreno coming forward, Kavanagh circling outside. Kavanagh just touched Moreno with a kick. Moreno fired an overhand right. At that point you could really see the color on Moreno’s left calf. Purple. Nasty.
Moreno took the fight to the fence, pursing a takedown. Had a body lock, looked for the throw, nope. No such luck. So far Kavanagh was fighting it off. Looking to fight hands and break Moreno’s grip. Moreno fired knees to the thigh. Off the fence, Kavanagh went after another calf kick, and Moreno drove into a takedown again. Kavanagh fought that off, finishing off the round.
Round four saw Moreo pursuing a takedown again to start things off. Given Kavanagh’s leg kicks and solid work in the standup, it seemed like Moreno had seen the grappling as a path to victory. He wasn’t making much progress actually landing the takedown but was in the driver’s seat. Landing more knees to the thigh. Eating time off the clock.
Come round five, Brandon Moreno was, quite shockingly, going to need a finish to pull out a win. Kavanagh, in just his fourth UFC fight, all of 26 years old, had fought a smart gameplan and outclassed Moreno on the feet. His calf kicks had hampered Moreno’s movement, and Moreno, as a result, went right back to a takedown against the fence to start the final frame. No luck again, and they were restarted at center. Kavanagh hit another calf kick.
Moreno took the fight to the fence again, pursuing a high crotch single leg takedown. Again, it wasn’t there. Moreno’s face was showing plenty of damage. Kavanagh barely had a scratch on him. A massive upset was in the making, and with Moreno unable to find a finish, that was the end result.
The smart money was on Brandon Moreno tonight. At home in Mexico City. Former two-time champ. Facing a kid in his fourth UFC fight. Lone’er Kavanagh announced himself tonight. He will be in the rankings next week, and will be in another big fight next.
Official Result: Lone’er Kavanagh def. Brandon Moreno by unanimous decision (49-46, 48-47, 48-47)
