UFC Mexico Brandon Moreno vs Lone’er Kavanagh Preliminary Card Preview, Odds, Watch Info & FAQ

The UFC is taking the action back to Mexico City for an exciting 13 fight card at UFC Mexico! There was a little uncertainty surrounding the Main Event as Brandon Moreno was originally supposed to take on Asu Almabayev.

Due to injury Almabayev he was forced to withdraw, in steps highly touted prospect Lone'er Kavanagh. Many fans are speculating if Kavanagh even deserves this main event spot due to being knocked out in his last bout.

One thing is for sure and that is the UFC was always going to give Mexican superstar Brandon Moreno a winnable fight in Mexico. The preliminary card leading up is sure to set the stage for the Main Event.

The 8 fight under card is filled with debut prospects and highly skilled match ups. As UFC Mexico is quickly approaching I am here to give you a preview of every fight on the under card so lets get right into it!

All odds presented by our Partner at LuckyRebel as of 2/25/2026 10:22 A.M

Check out the odds for the entire card at the best online sportsbooks available in the U.S.

Featured Preliminary Bout: Jose Medina vs Ryan Gandra Preview – Middleweight

Saturday will mark the debut of an exciting middleweight prospect. Ryan Gandra will make his UFC debut against struggling Jose Medina.

Jose Medina has lost 4 straight fights, all coming on the UFC level of competition. In 2023 he appeared on the contender series where he was out wrestled in a decision loss to Magomed Gadzhiyasulov.

It did not matter as far as getting a contract goes because Medina later signed to fight Zach Reese on short notice. Medina also lost that bout by decision and has since gone on to be finished in 2 straight bouts.

At 36 years old it is clear Medina is at the end of the road and has reached his full potential. The UFC has given Gandra a favorable debut fight as he will have many advantages against Medina.

The Brazilian prospect will have a youth and speed advantage to start being 6 years younger then medina. The greatest disparity might come in the form of grappling skills though.

Striking may be the only aspect that could be fairly even as Medina has great footwork and distance control. It must be said that Gandra will hold the clear power advantage in his hands, with 3 first round knockouts on his record.

Medina typically needs a lot of volume and out put to eventually find a KO. In the stark contrast, it seems as if when Gandra touches men, they fall.

Gandra is a decorated BJJ artist with great wrestling and 2 submission wins on his record. Medina has been submitted twice in his career and once in the UFC, which provides a clear path to victory for Gandra.

Jose Medina vs Ryan Gandra Odds:

• Moneyline: Jose Medina (+525) vs Ryan Gandra (-725)
• Round Total: 1.5 Total Rounds – Over (+100) / Under (-125)
• Most Likely Method Of Victory: Ryan Gandra By KO/TKO (+130)

Macy Chiasson vs Ailin Perez Preview – Women's Bantamweight

Macy Chiasson will make her return to the octagon to take on red hot prospect Ailin Perez. Chiasson is a veteran of the women's bantamweight division with many high level wins under her belt.

The past few years have not been kind to her though, losing back to back fights in her last 2. Many fighters go on losing skids but the difference is Chiasson looked career worse in her last loss to Yana Santos.

Chiasson was controlled against the fence and struggled with the takedowns against Santos. A common theme of her career and despite her high level grappling skills, defensively she has become a liability.

Unfortunately for her the UFC has done her no favors in this match up. Ailin Perez has turned a corner in her career by using her offensive grappling as a legit weapon.

The Argentina prospect made waves in the UFC career due to her post fight antics & only fans page. She has used the out of octagon antics to add to her hype of the 5 fight winning streak she has put together.

On the other hand it seems as if the UFC has done her a favor giving her the Chiasson match up as it plays to her skillset perfectly. If Perez goes into the match up with the same gameplan as previous, she should have no problem taking Chiasson to the mat.

The only question will be if Perez has the cardio to do it for all 3 rounds. It will be interesting to see if Perez can make a statement with a win and give her self a shot at the #1 contender spot.

Macy Chiasson vs Ailin Perez Odds:

• Moneyline: Macy Chiasson (+160) vs Ailin Perez (-185)
• Round Total: 2.5 Total Rounds – Over (-325) / Under (+263)
• Most Likely Method Of Victory: Ailin Perez By Points (-125)

Cristian Quinonez vs Kris Moutinho Preview – Bantamweight

Cristian Quinonez is a Mexican fan favorite making his return in a favorable match up with Kris Moutinho. Quinonez has been away from the octagon for 2 full years now and fans are excited to see if there are any improvements made in that time.

The Mexican prospect has not had the best run to start his career. After winning his debut, Quinonez went on to lose 2 straight fights leading to the long 2 year lay off.

At just 29 years old I expect Quinonez to look very fresh in the match up. The lay off may have been needed to improve and heal lingering injuries that have hindered him.

The UFC has given him a great match up with fellow striker Kris Moutinho. Unfortunately for him Moutinho has not made a name for himself through his winning ways.

The hype behind him started by being dismantled by Sean O ' Malley and forcing him to throw 212 significant strikes before he found the knockout over Moutinho. The bout proved just how tough Moutinho is but failed to show any of his real skills.

Moutinho went on to win 5 straight fights on the regional scene earning him another shot on the big stage. The prospect ran into trouble once again in his 2nd debut, being knocked out by Malcom Wellmaker in under 3 minutes.

The Massachusetts born prospect will look to make right of his next opportunity against Quinonez. It must be said he has a tall mountain to climb here to prove he is UFC level as this is not a favorable match up for him.

Cristian Quinonez vs Kris Moutinho Odds:

• Moneyline: Cristian Quinonez (-700) vs Kris Moutinho (+500)
• Round Total: 1.5 Total Rounds – Over (-140) / Under (+120)
• Most Likely Method Of Victory: Cristian Quinonez By KO/TKO (-125)

Douglas Silva de Andrade vs Javier Reyes Preview – Bantamweight

Douglas Silva de Andrade will come off a long 2 year lay off to take on UFC new comer Javier Reyes. The Brazilian is a veteran with the UFC appearing in 13 bouts over a 10 year stretch.

Silva de Andrade has amassed an impressive resume over his run, fighting some of the best the bantamweight division has to offer. He has developed a reputation for being a cardio machine grappling his way deep into fights.

Grappling is his primary focus, attempting to get the fight to the mat at any cost. Striking seems to be his downfall in many fights and at 40 years old in the bantamweight division father time is not on his side.

Reyes is being treated to the Veteran test right away in his UFC debut. Silva de Andrade is versatile enough to challenge Reyes in every area showing the UFC just how good of a prospect he is.

The Columbian prospect is coming off a huge KO victory on the contender series. The knockout earned him a UFC contract and a high level fight in his debut.

The match up is rather even as a whole and it will be interesting to see if Silva de Andrade can deal with the youth of Reyes. The prospect will be looking to make a splash in the Bantamweight division with a statement victory.

Douglas Silva de Andrade vs Javier Reyes Odds:

• Moneyline: Douglas Silva de Andrade (+185) vs Javier Reyes (-215)
• Round Total: 2.5 Total Rounds – Over (-110) / Under (-110)
• Most Likely Method Of Victory: Javier Reyes By Points (+215)

Erik Silva vs Francis Marshall Preview – Featherweight

Erik Silva will make his long awaited return to the Octagon to take on top prospect Francis Marshall Saturday night. The 38 year old UFC newcomer has been out of the game for 2 years due to a brutal knee injury.

A knee injury that was sustained in just his second UFC bout against Muhammad Naimov. Silva was not off to the best start in the UFC to begin with, dropping his debut to TJ Brown after earning a contract on the contender series.

At the ripe age of 38 it remains to be seen just how much he will be able to improve at this point in his career. Silva is a grapple heavy fighter that has always struggled with the striking aspect.

Francis Marshall has all the grappling skill to keep up with Silva which makes this a very interesting match up. The prospect is just 26 years old as well, carrying a heavy speed and striking advantage going into the bout.

Marshall is hungry and looking to get back in the win column, a tough combination for any opponent. Many fans felt as if he won his last bout against Mairon Santos but was ultimately handed a decision loss in the end.

That marks his 3rd loss in his last 4 fights despite 2 being very close split decisions that could have gone his way. I have no doubt Marshall is UFC level and has just had a tough start to his career.

Silva provides the perfect opportunity for Marshall to shine and prove he is a top prospect. The 3 round bout will be an exciting match up to start the card Saturday night.

Erik Silva vs Francis Marshall Odds:

• Moneyline: Erik Silva (+525) vs Francis Marshall (-725)
• Round Total: 1.5 Total Rounds – Over (-120) / Under (+100)
• Most Likely Method Of Victory: Francis Marshall By Submission (+100)

Wes Shultz vs Damian Pinas Preview – Middleweight

The opening bout of UFC Mexico is an interesting match up of debut prospects. Contender series alumni Wes Shultz will take on Damian pinas to start off the card Saturday.

It took Shultz 2 attempts to earn his contract on the Contender Series. His first attempt in 2024 came against top UFC prospect Mansur Abdul – Malik.

Ultimately Shultz took the loss but to this day he is the only prospect to give Abdul – Malik a real test. Following up that bout he went on to win one bout on the regional scene before appearing on the contender series again.

This time he made the most of his opportunity making quick work of his opponent with an impressive first round submission. The UFC has done him no favors matching him up with another dangerous prospect in Damian Pinas.

Pinas made the most of his only contender series opportunity, knocking out his opponent in impressive fashion. The knockout came in under 2 minutes, making quick work of his opponent.

The match up between Shultz and Pinas will also be a sharp contrast in styles. Pinas prefers to strike and use his power to wear down his opponents, where as Shultz is more of a wrestler.

It will be interesting to see who is the more well rounded prospect of the 2. There is no doubt the winner of this bout will rise up the rankings earning themselves a much more meaningful bout.

Wes Shultz vs Damian Pinas Odds:

• Moneyline: Wes Shultz (+210) vs Damien Pinas (-245)
• Round Total: 1.5 Total Rounds – Over (+157) / Under (-180)
• Most Likely Method Of Victory: Damien Pinas By KO/TKO (-145)

UFC Mexico Schedule & FAQ:

When is UFC Mexico?

• UFC Mexican will take place Saturday, February 28th, 2026.

Where is UFC Mexico?

• UFC Mexico will go down live at The CDMX Arena in Mexico City, Mexico.

What time does UFC Mexico start?

• UFC Mexico Early Preliminary Card Start time: 5 p.m. ET
• UFC Mexico Preliminary Card start time: 7 p.m. ET
• UFC Mexico Main Card start time: 9 p.m. ET

How to Watch UFC Mexico?

• UFC Mexico Early Preliminary Card Coverage: Paramount+
• UFC Mexico Preliminary Card Coverage: Paramount+
• UFC Mexico Main Card Coverage: Paramount+

How to Bet on UFC Mexico?

• Most international and domestic sportsbooks will carry odds for a fight card of this caliber but click here for some sites and applications us bettors here at Betting News recommend for a great UFC betting experience.