UFC Mexico City featured a 13-fight card and a six-fight main card for the promotion’s first trip to Mexico in the calendar year of 2026. In the main event, former flyweight champion, and the pride of Mexico, Brandon Moreno engaged in a five-round scrap with short-notice youngster Lone’er Kavanagh. In the co-main event, former bantamweight title challenger Marlon “Chito” Vera took on red-hot David Martinez in a pivotal 135lb “changing of the guard” type-of-fight. All losers from the Mexico City card are now riding losing streaks, so some interesting matchups (or roster cuts) lie ahead on this edition of What’s Next.
Brandon Moreno
Brandon Moreno was out-struck and looked a step behind at times in his unanimous decision loss to Lone’er Kavanagh in the main event of UFC Mexico City on Saturday. Massive upset here, as #6 ranked Moreno fell to Kavanagh who is unranked and has only been with the promotion for less than two years. Moreno is now on a two-fight losing streak and is 2-3 since losing his belt to Alexandre Pantoja in 2023.
No need to reinvent the wheel here for the 32-year-old Mexican born fighter, either rebook the Almabayev fight or give him the winner of (#13) Charles Johnson vs (#14) Bruno Silva. With the latter making more sense. Bruno was originally going to take on Kavanagh on March 14 before Almabayev was injured and withdrew from his main event with Brandon, resulting in the matchup fans watched Saturday.
If (#8) Asu Almabayev is all healed up and timing makes sense, that’d be a good second option. But giving Moreno either the fighter that handed Kavanagh his first and only loss (via finish as well) in Johnson, or a fighter Kavanagh was matched against, in Silva, is more appealing. Both men are ranked and it’d still be a solid co-main or main event on a Fight Night card.
Moreno’s next fight: Charles Johnson vs Bruno Silva Winner or Asu Almabayev
Marlon Vera
David Martinez held off Marlon Vera to win a unanimous decision on Saturday, utilizing his quick movement to ensure the largest victory of his career to date. Martinez entered the fight ranked at #10 while Chito was at #9. Marlon is now on a four-fight losing streak stemming from his March of 2024, unsuccessful title attempt opposite Sean O’Malley. Marlon’s last win came in August of 2023 against Pedro Munhoz via unanimous decision.
The perfect next fight for Vera here would be against (#12) Kyler Phillips. Kyler is on a two-fight skid after losing a pair of unanimous decisions to Rob Font and Vinicius Oliveira. His last victory came in March of 2024 against one Pedro Munhoz by way of unanimous decision. Great fight to make here, two strikers that have been in nothing but back and forth decisions recently. Both guys need a win, obviously Chito a bit more, but this would be an excellent main card fight, nonetheless. Winner hangs on to a ranking.
Vera’s next fight: Kyler Phillips
Daniel Zellhuber
King Green proved once again that he’s still here to compete as the 39-year veteran wobbled and stopped 26-year-old Daniel Zellhuber to secure the second round TKO victory on Saturday. Zellhuber now falls to 3-4 with the UFC and has dropped his last three fights. All is not lost for the 2021 Contender Series fighter, who had an amazing 2024 calendar year (including a Fight of the Year candidate against Esteban Ribovics). Daniel needs a reset type of fight but winnable and with a solid striking skilled name.
Excellent fighter would be a guy like Edson Barboza. Edson is a respected veteran with 32 fights with the promotion. Barboza is winless since 2023 and has lost his last three including his lightweight debut in his last fight to a returning (from mini-retirement) Jalin Turner. Barboza was finished midway through the first round with punches. Daniel would be a great next opponent.
Hate to make it seem like Zelhuber is beating on the older dogs of the division, but this is too sweet of a matchup to pass up. Barboza poses a lot different of a challenge than Green on the feet, and it’d keep Zellhuber in a standup firefight for fans. Good Fight Night main card or feature prelim bout with the winner getting back on the right track as this fight would do some heavy lifting for Barboza too.
Zellhuber’s next fight: Edson Barboza
Felipe Bunes
Edgar Chairez and Felipe Bunes engaged in a spirited back and forth scrap that eventually saw Mexican born Chairez edge out his opponent at UFC Mexico City. 36-year-old Bunes now falls to 1-3 under the promotional banner and is on a two-fight losing skid. Granted, Felipe’s debut was against now flyweight champion Joshua Van, back in early 2024. But Felipe’s only win in the UFC came against Jose Johnson via first round armbar.
Easy booking here as Bunes might get into some trouble here hanging onto his spot with the promotion. Let Felipe fight Kevin Borjas who fought and lost just before him on the main card of UFC Mexico City. Borjas is in a similar position to Felipe with the promotion and had the same UFC debut opponent. They are also now 1-2 in their last three and the timing would match up. With loser likely facing the axe from the promotion.
Bunes’s next fight: Kevin Borjas
Kevin Borjas
Imanol Rodriguez stayed undefeated as he dropped and finished Kevin Borjas on the main card of UFC Mexico City on Saturday. Despite a valiant early effort, Borjas now has the misfortune of owning the abysmal promotional record of 1-4. Kevin Borjas should take on Felipe Bunes, it could land anywhere on a card. Both men come to fight regardless of their win/loss rate with the UFC. Borjas, like Felipe, also had his UFC debut against the now flyweight champion Joshua Van (though it was in late 2023).
Borjas’s next fight: Felipe Bunes
Angel Pacheco
Kicking off the main card on Saturday, Santiago Luna stayed perfect as he turned in a stellar 15 minutes of work, defeating Angel Pacheco in draining unanimous decision affair. 34-year-old Pacheco is now 0-2 with the UFC since being signed following his 2023 Contender Series loss to Danny Silva. This was also his first fight since March of 2024.
Unfortunately for Pacheco, it’d be extremely surprising if he wasn’t released here. Luna is now 2-0 with the UFC. His first opponent, Quang Le, has since been released. Even Coalan Loughran, who beat Pacheco, is no longer with the organization.
Angel should have to look no further than the undercard of UFC Mexico City for his next opponent (That is, as long as both of these aren’t cut anyways). Pacheco should move back up to 145lbs (as he did for his Contender Series fight) and take on Erik Silva. Erik was choked out by Francis Marshall in the first round of their bout. The 2022 Contender Series veteran is 0-3 with the UFC, though he did win his DWCS fight (sorry Angel). Also worth noting, Silva has yet to make it to the final bell in a UFC fight.
Pacheco’s next fight: Erik Silva
