The UFC flyweight division was once struggling with uncertainty, weak pay-per-view interest and frequent fighter cuts. UFC president Dana White once said that "people didn't care" about the flyweights after Demetrious Johnson's exit in 2018. Even Henry Cejudo, an Olympic gold medalist and former two-division champion, struggled to see a future for the weight class. Much has changed, and the flyweights now have a genuine claim to being among the most exciting divisions in the UFC.
At the forefront is England's Lone'er Kavanagh, who has enjoyed a rise few others have matched this past year. He accepted a short-notice fight against ex-champion Brandon Moreno in Mexico City in March and produced one of the most stunning UFC upsets in recent memory, taking a unanimous decision in front of a hostile crowd. Kavanagh was unranked before that fight. He later lost to Brandon Royval at UFC 329, but he remains just a win away from entering the flyweight title conversation.
Kavanagh, who is 27, came up through Cage Warriors, the organisation that also developed Conor McGregor, Paddy Pimblett and Tom Aspinall. A first-round knockout on Dana White's Contender Series launched his UFC career. His front-footed, kickboxing-based style has even earned praise from Jon Jones, who told him his Muay Thai was beautiful and that his kicks had no telegraph. Kavanagh trains at London's Great Britain Top Team under British MMA trailblazer Brad Pickett.
He next faces Ramazonbek Temirov at UFC 333 on October 24, only his second high-profile numbered event. Kavanagh says the Mexico City win felt like a rollercoaster and that he learns the most from his losses. With the division as competitive as it has ever been, a statement win could put him in contention for UFC gold.
Source: ESPN General · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing