Lone’er Kavanagh Faces Ramazan Temirov at UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi

Flyweight contender Lone’er Kavanagh is set for another high-stakes test this Saturday when he faces hard-hitting Ramazan Temirov on the main card of UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi. The 27-year-old enters the bout looking to rebound from a third-round submission defeat against Brandon Royval in his most recent outing.

Signed via Dana White’s Contender Series in 2024 after an undefeated run in England’s Cage Warriors, Kavanagh opened his octagon tenure with two victories over unranked opponents. He was then matched against elite competition, going 1-2 in a grueling stretch that included a 2025 loss to Charles Johnson, an upset victory over Brandon Moreno, and the subsequent stoppage loss to Royval.

Speaking to MMA Fighting’s José Youngs ahead of the matchup, Kavanagh emphasized that the setback against Royval provided critical experience for his development. “It’s about decision making,” Kavanagh said. “Making the right decisions at the right point, not rushing.

I felt like I rushed a little bit on certain aspects. I made the wrong decisions elsewhere and it’s just learning from those. That’s what it is, it’s all XP at the end of the day.” Following their bout, Royval praised Kavanagh as a future champion, a compliment the British fighter appreciated while remaining focused on addressing his mistakes.

Now, Kavanagh turns his attention to Temirov, who also holds a victory over Johnson. Kavanagh noted the power and style his opponent brings into the cage, stating, “You can definitely see he’s got dynamite in his hands. Likes to come forward and throw big shots, looping shots.” Both fighters enter the Abu Dhabi event with significant positioning at stake in the flyweight division.