Athletes
Lone’er Kavanagh Has Answered The Door
British Prospect Aiming To Make The Most Of Main Event Opportunity Against Brandon Moreno
Even in the communication age where we’re all connected and able to reach one another at any hour by numerous methods, most of us still fall into some kind of rhythm and pattern when it comes to communicating with those closest to us.
We talk to our mom every Sunday, send friends a text mid-week to figure out weekend plans, and message the WhatsApp work group routinely in search of reminders about meetings and assignments, as well as the latest tea. We know when certain people tend to hit us up and when a call, text, or DM comes in from someone outside of the usual window when we hear from them, our Spidey-senses instantly start to tingle.
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Such was the case for Lone’er Kavanagh a few weeks ago, when his phone buzzed before dawn with a call from a familiar name ringing at an unfamiliar time.
“I get a call from one of my coaches, Ash Grimshaw, at 6:30 in the morning — never calls me at that time,” Kavanagh said with a smile, explaining how he came to land opposite Brandon Moreno this weekend in the main event of UFC’s return to Arena CDMX in Mexico City. “I get the call, discuss it with the coaches, and it’s all go time.
“Obviously we had to talk about it, work out logistics,” added the Londoner, “but after that, it’s an immediate yes.”
Originally scheduled to compete a couple of weeks from now against top 15 mainstay Bruno “Bulldog” Silva on the UFC Fight Night: Emmett vs Vallejos card at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas, Kavanagh could not pass up the opportunity to share the Octagon with one of the best in the history of the division.
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Though he enters this fight off a second-round submission loss to Tatsuro Taira last year at UFC 323, the 32-year-old Moreno is a former two-time champion and former interim titleholder as well, who has faced the best the division has had to offer throughout his second stint with the promotion — currently seven years, and counting.
The first Mexican-born champion in UFC history and an icon in his homeland, “The Assassin Baby” will be headlining in Mexico City for the third consecutive year and seeking a second straight victory, after claiming his first win on home soil last year in a bout against Steve Erceg.
This will be his sixth UFC main event and the 11th time he’s been booked for five rounds inside the Octagon, but the first time for each for Kavanagh.
“I’m very thankful for the UFC to give me the call,” he said when asked about getting the opportunity to face Moreno. “It gives me confidence that they believe in me, as well as my coaches believing in me, and that’s all I need.
“Brandon’s been around for a long time — he’s a legend, he seems like a nice guy — but I want to do whatever it takes to become champ,” continued the Great Britain Top Team product, shifting his focus to his opponent and his professional aims. “I’ve got one mission and I’m gonna do that.”
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Part of what has sparked interest in this fight is that Moreno has fallen out of the top five for the first time in ages as a result of his loss to Taira and the continued ascent of former title challenger Kyoji Horiguchi, who picked up a dominant win over Amir Albazi earlier this year to climb into the fifth spot, shifting the former champion down to No. 6.
As is often the case with athletes who spent an extended period at the top of their division and have stumbled, the questions about how much more Moreno has left in the tank and if he’s still a genuine contender in the division he once ruled have started to bubble up.
When asked his thoughts on the matter, Kavanagh opted to stay general rather than speaking about Moreno specifically, saying, “I think anyone within the top 10 is a contender, especially in the flyweight division because it’s moving all the time. It’s just about climbing the rankings.”
While Saturday night represents a massive test for the 26-year-old Kavanagh, it also feels like a win-win situation for the Dana White’s Contender Series graduate, who makes his 2026 debut coming off the first loss of his professional career last August.
UFC MEXICO FULL FIGHTS: Brandon Moreno vs Amir Albazi | Lone'er Kavanagh vs Felipe dos Santos
He’s taken the knockout loss to Charles Johnson in stride, acknowledging that losing is never fun, and while highlighting the lessons and adjustments he’s gleaned from the setback, his focus was never on maintaining an unblemished record.
“I care about being the best fighter I can be, and that’s a lesson I needed to learn to make me a better fighter,” Kavanagh said of the setback in Shanghai.
Though his initially scheduled bout with Silva was a solid measuring stick moment to see what adjustments he’s made since the summer, this weekend’s matchup carries the potential to elevate his stock regardless of the result, while the upside is much more significant.
No one would fault the British prospect for dropping a fight to a two-time former champion, on his home turf, no less, but Kavanagh can gain a great deal by giving a good account of himself opposite Moreno. And should he manage to earn a victory, the unranked UFC sophomore would immediately find himself in the thick of the chase in the talent-rich flyweight division.
“Just be myself,” he said when asked what he needs to do in order to garner the biggest win of his career this weekend. “Me and my team have worked really hard. I enjoy every moment in there, (so I) just go and enjoy it. I’m always looking for a finish and that’s what I’ve come here to do.
“It’s gonna feel amazing,” Kavanagh added, visualizing standing triumphant in the center of the Octagon to close out the evening in Mexico City. “I’ve said it time and time again, I’ve prayed for moments like this, I’ve prayed for opportunities like this, so when they come about, I’m taking them and I’m gonna make it work.”
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Should he make the most of this assignment and get himself back into the win column on Saturday, it will send another shockwave through the flyweight rankings, and though he’s focused exclusively on making that happen this weekend, the larger goal and answer to “What comes next?” is already locked and loaded.
“For me, I like to take it one fight at a time,” started Kavanagh when asked to forecast his ideal future. “I’ll go back with the coaches after, discuss what’s next, but like I said, I wanna get to the top as quick as I can, so whatever is next, I’m willing to do.”
Steve Latrell contributed to this story
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!
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