Brandon Moreno headlines UFC Mexico main event against Lone'er Kavanagh in Mexico City

brandon moreno opens a quick turnaround Saturday night when he headlines UFC Mexico at Arena CDMX in Mexico City against English prospect Lone'er Kavanagh, with the main card scheduled to begin at 8 p. m. ET.

Brandon Moreno's quick turnaround and recent form

Moreno (23-9-2), the 32-year-old former two-time UFC flyweight champion, returns to the Octagon after a second-round knockout loss to Tatsuro Taira this past December. That defeat interrupted a run that included back-to-back wins over Amir Albazi and Steve Erceg. Moreno had been slated to face Asu Almabayev in the originally announced main event, but Almabayev withdrew because of a hand injury and Lone'er Kavanagh stepped in on short notice.

Lone'er Kavanagh steps into a career-defining opportunity

Kavanagh (9-1), a 26-year-old London product, arrives off UFC wins over Jose Ochoa and Felipe dos Santos and a second-round knockout loss to Charles Johnson at UFC Shanghai last August. A victory over Moreno would put Kavanagh squarely in the conversation for flyweight contention; the preview notes that an upset could shortcut his path toward the top of the division. Oddsmakers have made Moreno the favorite at -210, with Kavanagh listed at +175.

Co-main and card timing for fans in Mexico City and beyond

The evening's co-main event pits former title challenger Marlon "Chito" Vera (23-11-1) against rising bantamweight prospect David Martinez (13-1). The broadcast schedule lists the preliminary card beginning at 5 p. m. ET on Paramount+, with the main card live at 8 p. m. ET on Paramount+ and free for subscribers. The billed fight order also includes bouts such as Macy Chiasson vs. Ailin Perez and Daniel Zellhuber vs. King Green on the card.

Promoters and matchmakers shuffled the lineup after Almabayev's withdrawal, creating a five-round main event that answers immediate questions about both men: Moreno seeks to halt a recent setback and rebuild his run toward the top, while Kavanagh takes the most significant fight of his UFC tenure in front of a Mexico City crowd.

The preliminary card starts at 5 p. m. ET, and the main card goes live at 8 p. m. ET from Arena CDMX on Paramount+. Live results, round-by-round updates and highlights will follow through the night as the headliner and undercard bouts play out.