UFC Mexico City looking for new headliner after Asu Almabayev injury

Asu Almabayev has been forced to withdraw from the UFC Mexico City headliner just over three weeks before the event.Almabayev revealed that he had suffered a hand injury in a post on Instagram, confirming this Ag.Vecht report that the Kazakh fighter was forced to withdraw from a proposed flyweight booking against ex-UFC champion Brandon Moreno. It is currently unclear whether Moreno, who hails from Mexico, will remain on the February 28 card against a replacement opponent.

‘Many interesting battles ahead’

“The situation is as follows: two days before our flight I hurt my hand,” Almabayev wrote on Instagram (via Google Translate). “I don’t want to talk about the injury, I have never refused a fight, whoever I fight, regardless of the situation, the preparation is at a good level, it’s done, no matter how much you kick, I can’t change anything.“I have five fights left [organization]. I have been extended for a new contract. There are still many interesting battles ahead.”

Almabayev has won six of his seven Octagon appearances, with his only defeat coming against Manel Kape in March 2025. The 32-year-old bounced back from that defeat to post back-to-back wins over Jose Ochoa and Alex Perez close out his 2025 campaign. The veteran of the Brave Combat Federation and M-1 Global has a career mark of 23-3 since beginning his professional tenure in 2013.

Moreno was on a two-fight winning streak in his last outing when he suffered a second-round technical knockout loss to Tatsuro Taira at UFC 325 last December. Before that, the two-time flyweight king had earned back-to-back five-round verdicts over Amir Albazi and Steve Erceg.

UFC Mexico City – also known as UFC Fight Night 268 – takes place at Arena CDMX in Mexico City, Mexico and also includes a bantamweight clash pitting Marlon Vera against David Martinez in the co-main event of the evening.