UFC Macau Preview: Lone’er Kavanaugh vs Jose Ochoa

Rising British-Chinese mixed martial arts phenom Lone’er Kavanaugh will take on another 7-0 undefeated prospect, Peru’s Jose Ochoa in Macau on Saturday. Both fighters demonstrate particular prowess in the striking department, with each having sharp combination attacks and rare knockout power for the flyweight division. The aspect of their games which is not rare for 125-lbs is their grappling ability, as both young athletes can also defend takedowns, scramble like their life depends on it, and even attack with their own grappling. 

Jose and Lone’er are making their UFC debut at 23 and 25-years old, respectively, which can bring mental pressure that could cause one fighter to have an off-night, but on paper this should be a close bout. As a result, the -370 betting line in the favor of Kavanaugh is somewhat confusing. Kavanaugh has one of the greatest regional highlight-reel knockouts ever, it is true, and has faced a difficult level of competition for such a young fighter, having won five straight against undefeated opponents like another top prospect in An Tuan Ho.

Still, Ochoa is dangerous himself on the feet and brings a Thai-style clinching to the octagon which Lone’er has not seen before. The knees from Ochoa could be devastating. His kicking defense is good, but the timing and bouncy movement of Kavanaugh could still allow Lone’er to build up attrition throughout the fight by chipping away at the Peruvian’s legs. 

The main weakness for Kavanaugh is that he often gets caught up in his own offensive dynamism, which results in dropping his hands when really getting into his flow with combinations. His in-and-out, flow-based style is gorgeous to watch, but a foe like Ochoa could be the one to catch the chin of Lone’er. Despite Kavanaugh’s strength of schedule, he has not faced a power hitter like Jose Ochoa before. 

I do still expect Lone’er Kavanaugh to dispatch Jose Ochoa by competitive decision and continue his ascent towards the stiff competition in the flyweight rankings.