Asu Almabayev has sustained a hand injury just weeks before his highly anticipated main event fight. Scheduled to compete against former two-time UFC flyweight champion Brandon Moreno on February 28 in Mexico City, Almabayev’s status remains uncertain due to the injury.

On Tuesday, he shared an image showing his right arm in a cast. Almabayev commented:

“The situation is like this, I got an arm injury two days before our flight. I don’t want to talk about the injury… no matter how much you [try], I can’t change it.”

This bout is expected to be Almabayev’s second time headlining a UFC event, where he faces one of Mexico’s prominent MMA athletes at Arena CDMX. With a record of 23-3, Almabayev has achieved six victories out of seven contests in the UFC. His only loss came during his initial main event against top contender Manel Kape. A victory against Moreno, a former champion, would greatly enhance Almabayev’s chances for a title fight in the flyweight division.

Moreno, aged 32, has experienced a 2-2 record since 2024, following his split decision loss for the flyweight title to Alexandre Pantoja. He aims to recover from a TKO defeat to Tatsuro Taira in December.