Athletes
Daniel Zellhuber | Commitment Over Motivation
Lightweight Looks To Get Things Back On Track In Front Of His Hometown Crowd
For Daniel Zellhuber, being able to fight in Mexico City, Mexico, means being able to fight at home. Prior to joining the UFC, the 26-year-old had many of his professional fights in Mexico City, so now being able to return and compete on the world’s largest stage in Arena CDMX is something many people dream of.
“I know you guys can’t see it, but right now, having my girlfriend, friends, coaches here, it’s a dream come true,” Zellhuber said. “It’s one of those rare opportunities where everything is in place, and I’m happy and blessed with the opportunity.”
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Two years ago, Zellhuber made the walk inside Arena CDMX, where he not only earned a unanimous decision win over Francisco Prado but also had his first bonus-worthy performance, securing Fight of the Night honors. When he recalled what that night was like, Zellhuber said the crowd was crazy, but he enjoyed every second of it.
That fight marked the last time Zellhuber had his hand raised inside the Octagon. In his last two fights, he fell on the wrong side of the scorecards to Esteban Ribovics and, most recently, veteran Michael Johnson. His fight against Johnson was his only fight in 2025, and overall, Zellhuber admits it was a rough year.
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“It was the worst year in my professional career,” Zellhuber said. “One fight, one defeat, I undergo surgery, multiple injuries. There are a bunch of things that people don’t see outside of the fight game in the personal life. It’s hard to overcome those things, but I’m happy that I found the right team, the right people to surround myself, and I’m excited to showcase that on Saturday night.”
When asked about staying motivated through the ups and downs of the fight game, Zellhuber was quick to detest the feeling of motivation.
“It’s not about motivation; it’s about being committed,” Zellhuber said. “I am committed to being a world champ; that’s always been the goal, and that’s the approach I give to the sport. I don’t wake up every day and think if I’m motivated to train. I just do what I need to do, and in my particular case, I always need somebody, like my coaches, to tell me to stop a little bit, so that’s why I am on the right path.”
Saturday night, he gets the opportunity to right the ship and get his 2026 campaign started off on the right foot when he takes on another veteran of the sport, lightweight King Green. The 39-year-old has been in the fight game since 2008 and has spent time competing in Strikeforce before everything was merged into UFC.
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While Green has his fair share of ups and downs in the sport as well, he comes into this one just two months after his decision win over Lance Gibson Jr. to close out the 2025 schedule. Zellhuber knows he isn’t an easy test, but he knows the Mexican crowd will be behind him when the Octagon door closes.
Daniel Zellhuber, Part 2 | Dana White's Contender Series: Next Level
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Daniel Zellhuber, Part 2 | Dana White's Contender Series: Next Level
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“I know King has a really weird style,” Zellhuber said. “He has a bunch of experience, but I am confident in the fight camp that I had, in the preparation that I had for this fight, and fighting here in Mexico City with my people, and my family, I feel that is a big advantage for myself. I feel good.”
With seven UFC fights under his belt and four years of experience, the lightweight understands how hard this sport can be, and how much harder it can be to stay here once you’ve made it. Still early into his career, Zellhuber now wants to kick things up a notch and start paving a path toward title contention.
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“This year I definitely want to catchup with last year,” Zellhuber said. “Last year, one fight and I lost that one, so the whole plan is winning this first fight and then fighting again in July, and then maybe later in the year.
“I just want to be active. I feel I’m at that age where I’m young, I’m 26, and this is my seventh UFC fight, so I have a bunch of experience now, but I do feel that I’m at that point where I need to start fighting more actively and that’s what I’ve been trying to do but man, this sport is hard.”
UFC Fight Night: Moreno vs Kavanagh took place live from Arena CDMX in Mexico City on February 28, 2026. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!