Lone’er Kavanagh Upsets Brandon Moreno in UFC Mexico City

Brandon Moreno’s bid for another flyweight title shot was derailed by a stunning upset at UFC Mexico City on Saturday night. Unranked Brit Lone’er Kavanagh secured a unanimous decision victory over the former two-time champion, marking a significant moment in both fighters’ careers.

Kavanagh Steps Up on Short Notice

Kavanagh (3-1 UFC, 13-2 overall) took the fight on just three weeks’ notice after Asu Almabayev was forced to withdraw due to injury. Despite the late change and facing a hometown favorite, Kavanagh delivered a composed and effective performance.

Moreno’s Recent Struggles

Moreno (20-7-2) had been looking to regain momentum after a TKO loss to Tatsuro Taira at UFC 323 in December, which was the first finish of his career. Prior to that, he had gone 2-3 since losing the flyweight title to Alexandre Pantoja, with wins over Steve Erceg and Amir Albazi, and losses to Pantoja and Brandon Royval.

Fight Recap

Kavanagh’s counter-punching and strategic apply of calf kicks proved problematic for Moreno throughout the fight. The calf kicks were evident from the first round, visibly affecting Moreno’s movement. Kavanagh continued to target the lead leg in the second round, controlling the position and even wobbling the former champion with a combination of punches.

Moreno showed urgency in the third round, fueled by the support of the Mexican crowd, but Kavanagh weathered the storm. The final rounds saw Moreno attempt to grind against the cage, but Kavanagh responded with a backflip after the final bell, anticipating the outcome.

Official Result

All three judges scored the fight in favor of Kavanagh by unanimous decision. The victory immediately elevates Kavanagh’s position in the flyweight rankings.

Co-Main Event: Martinez Defeats Vera

In the co-main event, David Martinez (14-1) defeated Marlon “Chito” Vera (19-8) by unanimous decision (29-28 x3). Martinez, on a nine-fight win streak, continued his impressive run in the bantamweight division. Vera has now lost four of his last five fights and three in a row.

Full Fight Card Results

• Lone’er Kavanagh def. Brandon Moreno via unanimous decision
• David Martinez def. Marlon Vera via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
• King Green def. Daniel Zellhuber via second-round TKO (4:55)
• Edgar Chairez def. Felipe Bunes via split decision (29-28 x2, 28-29)
• Imanol Rodriguez def. Kevin Borjas via second-round TKO (4:21)
• Santiago Luna def. Angel Pacheco via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
• Ryan Gandra def. Jose Daniel Medina via first-round TKO (0:41)
• Ailin Perez def. Macy Chiasson via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
• Cristian Quinonez def. Kris Moutinho via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
• Javier Reyes def. Douglas Silva de Andrade via first-round TKO (4:59)
• Regina Tarin def. Ernesta Kareckaite via unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 29-28)

This result marks a turning point in the flyweight division, with Kavanagh emerging as a serious contender.