Following his recent unanimous decision loss to Beneil Dariush at UFC 317, Renato Moicano is looking ahead and wants a fight he believes is winnable.
Earlier this year, the Brazilian fighter known as “Money” Moicano was enjoying a six-fight winning streak in the lightweight division. This impressive run was halted when he faced then-champion Islam Makhachev in the main event of UFC 311.
Moicano accepted the fight against Makhachev on short notice after Arman Tsarukyan withdrew due to a back injury. The last-minute replacement was defeated by a D’arce choke submission in the opening round.
Originally scheduled to fight former top-3 contender Beneil Dariush on a different card, Moicano eventually met Dariush at UFC 317 last weekend. He suffered another defeat, this time by unanimous decision.
After these consecutive losses to Makhachev and Dariush, the fighter, who was previously a title challenger, indicated there`s a specific opponent that makes sense for him next.
Renato Moicano Targets Michael Chandler After UFC 317 Defeat
Just one spot below Moicano in the UFC lightweight rankings is the #13 ranked contender, Michael Chandler.
Chandler, a former Bellator champion, has seen his ranking drop after a TKO loss to Paddy Pimblett at UFC 314. He has lost five of his last six fights and, at 38 years old, is the oldest ranked fighter in the 155 lbs division.
When asked on the ‘Show Me The Money’ podcast about his next desired opponent, Moicano candidly replied, “To be completely honest with you, the oldest guy in the division.”
He clarified, “Who’s the oldest guy? Not Dariush?
“Michael Chandler, my brother…”
Moicano added, “I think that fight makes a lot of sense.”
“There is not a better time for the fight. I have been talking sh*t to Chandler for so long,” Moicano stated.
He added dramatically, “And if I lose to him, brother, I will have to end my life.”
In a previous interview, Moicano expressed his belief that Chandler is no longer a top-15 level fighter and claimed that Conor McGregor significantly impacted Chandler`s career by not fighting him.
Renato Moicano Believes He Could Have Beaten Beneil Dariush in a Five-Round Bout
Moicano shared his perspective that Beneil Dariush appeared “done” during the opening round of their recent fight.
Moicano knocked Dariush down in the final moments of the first round. However, Dariush recovered and won rounds 2 and 3, securing the unanimous decision victory.
Moicano regrets his decision to follow Dariush to the ground after the knockdown, stating he should have kept the fight standing.
He also sparked discussion by suggesting the outcome might have been different if the fight had been a five-round main event.
“I have this in my mind. I think if the fight was five rounds, I would beat Dariush,” Moicano commented.
Discussing his conditioning, he said, “I got tired to a point that I was not getting any [more] tired. I hit a wall.”
“It would not get worse,” Moicano said regarding his cardio.
The 36-year-old concluded, “But on the other hand, he’s fifteen days older than me. So, I think if I keep pushing, he would still get a little bit more tired. I just ran out of time right when I was, like, getting back.”
Jack Thornley