Many expected the UFC Mexico fight card to fly under the radar. However, when it took place last night at Arena CDMX, it quickly became the talk of the town, mainly because the rising flyweight dominated the action. In a straight five-round non-title fight against former champion Brandon Moreno, the newcomer outclassed the former champ and earned a $100k performance bonus. In addition, Lone’er Kavanagh’s performance also caught the attention of UFC legend Jon Jones.

The UFC Mexico card marked the Brit’s fourth official UFC outing. He stepped in on short notice after Moreno’s original opponent, Asu Almabayev, broke his hands weeks before the event. Despite the late call, Lone’er Kavanagh focused intensely and left no margin for error in his preparation. This allowed him to shut down the former champion with his Muay Thai striking, a performance that now propels him toward a rise in the rankings.

Kavanagh also earned recognition backstage when Jon Jones FaceTimed him after the event. “Congratulations… Your Muay Thai is beautiful… Your kicks—they don’t show at all. They have no telegraph… Good job, fellas… Good job, fellas. Good job,” said Jon Jones during the FaceTime, now recently posted by the UFC Australia and New Zealand official handle.

Overwhelmed by the call from the legend, Lone’er Kavanagh politely thanked Jon Jones and also acknowledged his coaches and teammates. He credited his Great Britain Top Team coaches for his performance. During his fight against Brandon Moreno, the Englishman consistently kept ”The Assassin Baby” on the defensive with punishing leg kicks and sharp punches.

With precise Muay Thai striking, he controlled most of the bout, leaving Moreno limp and bloody by the end of the night. As a result, his dominant performance earned Kavanagh respect throughout the MMA world, not just from Jon Jones.

Lone’er Kavanagh earned praise from Ilia Topuria and other UFC icons

“There’s a kid rising in flyweight… Last name Kavanagh. He’s going to be a serious problem in that division,” predicted UFC double-belt champion Ilia Topuria while speaking to Jon Jones about Lone’er Kavanagh’s future. Little did Topuria know, Kavanagh would prove him right last night in his first main event, despite stepping in on short notice.

He dominated the fight and clearly showed why he could become a real threat to champion Joshua Van Soon when a title shot opens up. In fact, during fight week, Lone’er Kavanagh even saw Topuria’s clip referencing the prediction.

“I find out is just awesome,” said Kavanagh. “Very grateful. Yeah, it was really cool to meet him. And yeah, he just gave me some good luck words and that’s it. I’m just scared of Brad hands down and stuff like this.”

Kavanagh’s UFC Mexico performance also earned respect from MMA big names such as Henry Cejudo, Josh Thompson, and Terrance McKinney.

“All jokes aside, Kavanagh’s striking is nasty. Never seen Moreno get pieced up on the feet like this. Sheesh, Moreno is tough, my skinny calves ain’t taking that lol,” said Terrance McKinney.

So, how do you view the flyweight division right now?

With Lone’er Kavanagh joining the mix, do you think the 125-pound division now stands out as the most stacked and unpredictable, even compared to the bantamweight division? Share your thoughts below.