The Lone’er Kavanagh Saga Continues

For his debut, the Great Britain Top Team man ventured to Macau, China, the home nation of his mother, collecting a unanimous decision win over fellow debutant Jose Ochoa in a matchup that feels like it will continue to age nicely in the coming years. It wasn’t the electric performance that many were hoping for — or that Kavanagh wanted for himself — but it showed how measured and polished the British newcomer is, despite the fact that he had just seven (now eight) professional appearances under his belt. 

“At first, I was a little bit disappointed with the performance because I wanted to show more,” admitted the talented flyweight, who landed on the list of Fighters on the Rise heading into 2025 at the start of the year, despite having made just a single trek into the Octagon. “But like you said, Jose was a good opponent, unbeaten, and was very dangerous.

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“In my head, because there was so much behind it — it was my UFC debut, in Macau, there was so much going on — that I was like, ‘I don’t want to make any mistakes.’ It made me a bit more reserved than I normally would be. 

“Looking back on it, he’s a tough fighter, and I wanted to make sure I could be more technical than him, so I had to take my time a little more,” he added. “I think the best thing you can do is win a fight and learn from it, and I definitely did from that fight.”

With a victory in hand, Kavanagh mentioned in his backstage interview with Maddyn Johnstone-Thomas that making his sophomore start when the UFC returned to London would be a dream come true.

Well, here we are. 

“I’m very excited,” he said when asked about getting his wish, a bright smile lighting his face as he shifted in his chair, the anticipatory energy coursing through his body making it difficult for him to sit still as he discussed this weekend’s event. “Honestly, if you were to say to me five years ago, 10 years ago, ‘You’re gonna be in the UFC, where do you wanna make your debut and then where do you wanna fight next?’ I would have been like, ‘It would be a dream to fightin China, in my mum’s hometown, and then I would love to fight at The O2 Arena in London.’

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“The fact that it’s happened like this is insane. I truly believe it’s God’s plan, and I’m excited to do this. I get to fight in my own city for my second-ever UFC fight, after fighting in my second home city.

“It’s definitely surreal.”

While it may feel surreal to Kavanagh, it’s also a byproduct of the efforts he’s put forth to this point in his career, and the heaps of buzz he carries as an emerging name in one of the most talent-rich divisions in the sport.

Because there is so much MMA content out there to consume and innumerable athletes to discuss on a weekly basis, the weight of some words that get used to describe these competitors can sometimes be lost, and there is often little time given to provide context or dive into the nuances that differentiate one competitor from another when they’re on a similar track.

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Kavangh is a capital P Prospect — an undefeated fighter that faced quality competition in an outstanding promotion before landing on the UFC stage, and who exhibits the skills, work ethic, and intangibles necessary to be deservedly stamped as carrying future champion upside.

He is different, and his fight with Ochoa showed that, as he made sound decisions and picked his spots in the deciding third round to ensure he came away with a victory in his debut.

Carrying that label and being heralded by everyone with a platform in this space as someone to pay close attention to going forward brings the kind of pressure that either bursts pipes or makes diamonds, depending on the athlete.

Speaking to Kavanagh about it, you quickly recognize that there will be no need to call a plumber.

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“Firstly, it’s an honor to be mentioned by you guys and be mentioned by other people like Nathaniel (Wood) as being someone that is different,” began the polite UFC sophomore, who looks like he could just as easily be in the latest UK boy band rising up the charts. “It’s definitely pressure; it’s definitely every now and again that I’m like, ‘Ah s***, I’ve gotta make sure this happens now because there are so many people that believe in me that I’ve got to be there and make it happen.’ 

“At the same time, I love that — it pushes me to always want more, and it pushes me in training every day. It’s like, ‘If people believe I’m this person, I’m gonna make sure I do everything I can to do what they believe.’

“For me, it helps push me and helps me keep going. I love this.”

That’s not just fighter-speak either.

When asked if there is less pressure heading into his sophomore appearance this weekend against dos Santos given that he’s already secured his first UFC victory and began establishing roots in the division, Kavanagh was quick to explain that he’s never allowed himself to think that way and doesn’t plan on shifting the way he looks at things anytime soon. 

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“To be honest with you, I get what you mean, but I look at every fight like it’s the hardest fight of my life; I train like it’s a world championship,” he said. “There is that pressure that I still need to prove to everyone that I belong here, but I also want to prove to myself that I belong here,and I can make people that are very good look not so good; that’s always my aim.” 

His matchup with dos Santos is one of those opportunities, as the Chute Boxe Diego Lima representative garnered a ton of praise for his gutsy performance in a losing effort in his short-notice debut opposite top contender Manel Kape and remains another of the talented, young names working to make headway in the wildly competitive flyweight division.

Though he’s entering off a unanimous decision loss, the 24-year-old has more experience — both in the UFC and overall — than Kavanagh, and represents another step up in competition.

“He’s a good fighter, but I think it’s a good fight,” Kavanagh said with a wry smile when asked about the pairing. “It will be an entertaining fight and a good fight to me. I’m looking forward to showing what I can do.

“My whole thing — and I truly believe in it — is that to be the best, you’ve got to fight the best, and Felipe dos Santos is definitely very good, and I want to show that I belong with these people.”

WATCH: Lone'er Kavanagh's Fight Week Interview

From his dashing good looks and the way he carries himself to the quality performances he’s already delivered and limitless upside many believe he possesses, Kavanagh may very well be poised to become one of the UFC’s next leading men over the next couple years, which means this weekend might not simply be the sequel to his debut, but part of a larger flyweight franchise.

For now, he’s focused on Saturday — on making the walk inside The O2, on showcasing the abundance of talent and skill he carries with him into the Octagon, and on earning the ending to this latest film he’s been dreaming about since he was a little kid doing ninja s*** with UFC ambitions dancing in his head.