# Lone'er Kavanagh
**Lone'er Kavanagh** (born 1999) is an English professional mixed martial artist who competes in the flyweight division of the [Ultimate Fighting Championship](https://www.edgepedia.org/ultimate-fighting-championship) (UFC), where he holds a professional record of 10 wins and 2 losses and a UFC record of 3-2, and is ranked #6 at flyweight.[1](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/loneer-kavanagh) • [2](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Loneer-Kavanagh-213249) A Londoner with a kickboxing background, he rose from the UK regional circuit through [Cage Warriors](https://www.edgepedia.org/cage-warriors) and [Dana White](https://www.edgepedia.org/dana-white)'s Contender Series, and drew wide attention in February 2026 by defeating former two-time flyweight champion Brandon Moreno on three weeks' notice.[3](https://as.com/masdeporte/polideportivo/kavanagh-arruina-la-fiesta-mexicana-de-brandon-moreno-f202603-n/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1999, London, England[2](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Loneer-Kavanagh-213249) |
| Division / team | Flyweight; trains at Great Britain Top Team[1](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/loneer-kavanagh) |
| Records | Professional 10-2-0; UFC 3-2-0; ranked #6 flyweight[1](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/loneer-kavanagh) • [4](https://www.fightmatrix.com/fighter-profile/Loneer%20Kavanagh/154434/) |
| Win methods | 4 by KO/TKO, 1 by submission (guillotine), 5 by decision[2](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Loneer-Kavanagh-213249) |
| UFC debut | November 23, 2024, unanimous decision over Jose Ochoa[1](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/loneer-kavanagh) |
| Signature win | Unanimous decision (49-46, 48-47, 48-47) over Brandon Moreno, February 28, 2026[3](https://as.com/masdeporte/polideportivo/kavanagh-arruina-la-fiesta-mexicana-de-brandon-moreno-f202603-n/) |
| Next fight | vs. Ramazonbek Temirov (20-3-0) at UFC 333, October 24, 2026, Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi[2](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Loneer-Kavanagh-213249) |
## Background and name
Kavanagh was born in London, England, and began training in kickboxing at age 8 after his mother got him into the sport.[1](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/loneer-kavanagh) His surname is Irish, from his father's side, while his first name Lone'er is Chinese, from his mother's side, and translates to "Dragon Son".[5](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/mixed-martial-arts/articles/c248l15pl82o) He holds a black belt in kickboxing and a purple belt in [Brazilian jiu-jitsu](https://www.edgepedia.org/brazilian-jiu-jitsu), and earned an undergraduate degree in sports science before fighting full time; his prior job was coaching and personal training.[1](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/loneer-kavanagh)
**Early competition.** By his early twenties he had roughly fifteen years of competitive martial arts behind him, having first competed at eight.[6](https://cagewarriors.com/loneer-kavanagh-cage-warriors-next-breakout-star/) He entered amateur MMA at fourteen and compiled an amateur record of 2-2-2 with 1 no contest, both wins by decision.[1](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/loneer-kavanagh) His UFC profile also lists him as a 5-time K-1 World Champion.[1](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/loneer-kavanagh)
## Cage Warriors and Contender Series
Kavanagh turned professional in March 2019, winning his debut by second-round TKO over Glody Matusiwa at Rise of Champions 7, and added a first-round guillotine choke of Danny Missin at FightStar Championship 19 that December.[7](https://www.fightatlasmma.com/fighters/loneer-kavanagh) He then joined Cage Warriors, the UK-based promotion long regarded as a stepping stone to the UFC, where he was coached by the UFC veteran Brad "One Punch" Pickett.[6](https://cagewarriors.com/loneer-kavanagh-cage-warriors-next-breakout-star/)
His Cage Warriors run built his reputation. At CW 134 in March 2022 he knocked out Ryan Morgan in the third round with what the promotion described as a slip-and-rip counter sequence, and at CW 150 in March 2023 he stopped Davide Scarano with a spinning back kick and punches at 0:58 of round three.[6](https://cagewarriors.com/loneer-kavanagh-cage-warriors-next-breakout-star/) • [7](https://www.fightatlasmma.com/fighters/loneer-kavanagh) After a unanimous decision over Shawn Marcos da Silva at CW 169 in March 2024 left him 6-0, he appeared on season 8 of Dana White's Contender Series, knocking out An Tuan Ho at 2:35 of the first round on August 13, 2024 to earn a UFC contract.[1](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/loneer-kavanagh) • [7](https://www.fightatlasmma.com/fighters/loneer-kavanagh)
## UFC career
Kavanagh debuted in the octagon on November 23, 2024 at UFC Fight Night in Macau, taking a three-round unanimous decision over Jose Ochoa.[1](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/loneer-kavanagh) He followed with a unanimous decision over [Felipe dos Santos](https://www.edgepedia.org/felipe-dos-santos) at UFC Fight Night at [The O2](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-o2) in London on March 22, 2025, a win that prompted the promotion to move him up in competition against Charles Johnson.[8](https://www.ufc.com/news/loneer-kavanagh-ready-kick-things-gear-ufc-shanghai-flyweight) At UFC Fight Night in Shanghai on August 23, 2025, Johnson knocked him out with a punch at 4:35 of the second round, his first professional loss after nine wins.[1](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/loneer-kavanagh) • [7](https://www.fightatlasmma.com/fighters/loneer-kavanagh)
**The Moreno upset.** When Asu Almabayev withdrew from a February 28, 2026 bout against [Brandon Moreno](https://www.edgepedia.org/brandon-moreno) in Mexico City a few weeks before the event, the unranked Kavanagh accepted the fight on three weeks' notice.[3](https://as.com/masdeporte/polideportivo/kavanagh-arruina-la-fiesta-mexicana-de-brandon-moreno-f202603-n/) He started fast with low kicks and a heavy left hand, wore down the former two-time champion's guard, and won a five-round unanimous decision by scores of 49-46, 48-47, and 48-47.[3](https://as.com/masdeporte/polideportivo/kavanagh-arruina-la-fiesta-mexicana-de-brandon-moreno-f202603-n/) The win, described by UFC.com as one of the best performances of the year, earned him a [Performance](https://www.edgepedia.org/performance) of the Night bonus and lifted him to #6 in the official flyweight rankings after barely a year in the company.[9](https://www.ufc.com/news/loneer-kavanagh-sometimes-youve-got-jump) • [3](https://as.com/masdeporte/polideportivo/kavanagh-arruina-la-fiesta-mexicana-de-brandon-moreno-f202603-n/)
The momentum did not last long. At UFC 329: McGregor vs. Holloway 2 on July 11, 2026, Kavanagh faced perennial contender and former title challenger [Brandon Royval](https://www.edgepedia.org/brandon-royval) and lost by rear-naked choke submission at 3:40 of the third round.[7](https://www.fightatlasmma.com/fighters/loneer-kavanagh) • [2](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Loneer-Kavanagh-213249) He is next scheduled to face Ramazonbek Temirov (20-3-0) at [UFC 333](https://www.edgepedia.org/ufc-333) on October 24, 2026 at [Etihad Arena](https://www.edgepedia.org/etihad-arena) in Abu Dhabi.[2](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Loneer-Kavanagh-213249)
## Fighting style and statistics
Kavanagh is listed as a kickboxer by style, standing 5'6" with a 67-inch reach, and fights from an orthodox stance.[1](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/loneer-kavanagh) • [10](https://fightingdata.com/fighters/loneer-kavanagh/) His UFC numbers reflect a striker who keeps fights standing: he lands 4.13 significant strikes per minute while absorbing 3.94, defends 54 percent of significant strikes attempted against him, and stops 83 percent of takedown attempts, with a takedown average of just 0.37 per 15 minutes and an average fight time of 13:27.[1](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/loneer-kavanagh) Of his 333 landed significant strikes, 81 percent came at standing distance, 8 percent in the clinch, and 11 percent on the ground.[1](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/loneer-kavanagh) His ten professional wins split into 4 by KO/TKO, 1 by submission, and 5 by decision, with two first-round finishes.[1](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/loneer-kavanagh) • [2](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Loneer-Kavanagh-213249)
## References
1. [Lone'er Kavanagh, UFC.com athlete profile](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/loneer-kavanagh)
2. [Lone'er Kavanagh, Sherdog Fight Finder](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Loneer-Kavanagh-213249)
3. [Kavanagh arruina la fiesta mexicana de Brandon Moreno, AS.com (March 1, 2026)](https://as.com/masdeporte/polideportivo/kavanagh-arruina-la-fiesta-mexicana-de-brandon-moreno-f202603-n/)
4. [Loneer Kavanagh fighter profile, FightMatrix](https://www.fightmatrix.com/fighter-profile/Loneer%20Kavanagh/154434/)
5. [Lone'er Kavanagh on Jon Jones loving his kicks and how his 'scary Asian mum' shaped him, BBC Sport](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/mixed-martial-arts/articles/c248l15pl82o)
6. [Lone'er Kavanagh: CW's Next Breakout Star?, Cage Warriors (April 17, 2023)](https://cagewarriors.com/loneer-kavanagh-cage-warriors-next-breakout-star/)
7. [Lone'er Kavanagh: Full Pro MMA Fight History, Fight Atlas](https://www.fightatlasmma.com/fighters/loneer-kavanagh)
8. [Lone'er Kavanagh Is Ready To Kick Things Up A Gear, UFC.com (August 22, 2025)](https://www.ufc.com/news/loneer-kavanagh-ready-kick-things-gear-ufc-shanghai-flyweight)
9. [Lone'er Kavanagh | Sometimes You've Got to Jump, UFC.com (July 6, 2026)](https://www.ufc.com/news/loneer-kavanagh-sometimes-youve-got-jump)
10. [Lone'er Kavanagh UFC Stats & Fight History, FightingData](https://fightingdata.com/fighters/loneer-kavanagh/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Individual sports and outdoor recreation › Combat sports and professional wrestling › Mixed martial arts › Flyweight and strawweight fighters*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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