Moreno Hospitalized After Kavanagh Beatdown
Brandon Moreno was transported to a local hospital after his upset loss to Lone'er Kavanagh in Mexico City due to severe damage sustained during the fight. Fans are calling Moreno "done" after Kavanagh's dominant performance, with the short-notice replacement now firmly in title contention. Referee Herb Dean also faced backlash for poor Round 4 control during the stalling-heavy bout.
The fight marked Brandon Moreno's return to his home country of Mexico for the first time since 2019. The event, held on February 24, 2024, at Arena CDMX in Mexico City, was the UFC's first in the capital city in nearly five years. Moreno, a native of Tijuana, holds the distinction of being the first Mexican-born fighter to win a UFC championship. This was a rematch over three years in the making. Moreno first fought Brandon Royval at UFC 255 in November 2020, winning by TKO in the first round. That victory propelled Moreno into a series of title fights, and this second bout was a critical main event for both fighters' careers. Moreno was originally scheduled to face Amir Albazi, who had to withdraw due to a neck injury. Brandon Royval stepped in as the replacement, creating the main event rematch. Coming into the fight, Moreno was the #1 ranked flyweight contender, while Royval was ranked #3. The fight was a closely contested five-round affair that ended in a split decision loss for Moreno, with two judges scoring it 48-47 for Royval and one scoring it 49-46 for Moreno. This marked Moreno's second consecutive split decision loss, following his title-losing fight against Alexandre Pantoja in July 2023. The loss also dropped Moreno's UFC record in Mexico to 0-2-1. As a two-time former flyweight champion, this loss represented a significant setback in Moreno's quest to recapture the title. The flyweight division has been historically dominated by a few champions, with Moreno and Deiveson Figueiredo being the only two-time titleholders. For Royval, the victory was a major rebound after his own recent championship loss to Pantoja and put him back in line for another title shot.
