And there you have it! UFC Mexico has come to an end. Youth vs. experience collided again on Saturday night. Former champion Brandon Moreno took on UFC newcomer Lone’er Kavanagh at Arena CDMX. The pair wasn’t even supposed to face each other, having been booked for separate events, but cancellations brought the pair to each other. 

Even though both fighters had been preparing for the fight, Morena was seen as the obvious favorite, given his prior championship status and experience. And it appears the odd makers couldn’t have been more wrong, as the Mexican flyweight dropped a unanimous decision loss in the first UFC event of 2026 in his native Mexico. But this begs the question, who’s next for him? 

Brandon Moreno goes back to grinding

With his latest loss, the Mexican flyweight will fall in the rankings. That fall might set up a rematch against KaiKara-France, who is coming off a third-round submission loss to Alexandre Pantoja. This allows Moreano to bounce back while allowing France to exact revenge. 

Another compelling option is a clash with No. 9-ranked Tim Elliott. A win over a former champion would significantly bolster Elliott’s resume and could push him to the top of the rankings. Although highly unlikely, Moreno could also secure a blockbuster showdown with former champion Alexandre Pantoja. 

Pantoja recently lost his belt to Joshua Van and is likely mapping out his route back to the title. He suffered an elbow injury in the Van fight and is expected to return between May and July. A bout with Brandon Moreno would give Pantoja a high-profile opportunity to reassert himself and position himself for a rematch with Van.

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Meanwhile, Van is slated to defend his flyweight crown against Tatsuro Taira at UFC 327 in April. If Moreno and Pantoja were to square off, the winner could find himself next in line to challenge for the belt. Beyond the stakes, another Pantoja–Moreno chapter would undoubtedly generate massive excitement.

Moreno is open to 4th fight with Alexandre Pantoja

Brandon Moreno doesn’t shy away from the idea of creating history. Even if it means facing his toughest rival a fourth time. After earning a unanimous decision win over Steve Erceg in March 2025, Moreno made it clear he’s open to a fourth fight with reigning flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja.

“That’s the goal for sure in Guadalajara,” Moreno said at the post-fight press conference. “I think it’s perfect. Even for the UFC, for the promotion.”

Pantoja owns three previous victories over Moreno, including one on The Ultimate Fighter and two official bouts, the most recent coming in 2023 when Pantoja captured the 125-pound title. Still, Moreno believes his performances and drawing power warrant another opportunity.

“I feel today I have enough argument to raise my hand and say I can be the main event in the pay-per-view in Guadalajara in September,” Moreno said.

At 32, Brandon Moreno has plenty of time left for yet another title run. However, it’s yet to be seen whether he can make it back to the top. Do you think he can?