Featherweight Renato Moicano will be on call for UFC 231 should Brian Ortega or Max Holloway hurt themselves ahead of the bout.
UFC featherweight contender Renato Moicano got his wish granted.
Originally paired against fellow rising prospect Mirsad Bektic for UFC 231, the Brazilian had previously stated to Portal do Vale Tudo that he wanted to be the official replacement for the card’s main event, a title fight between Max Holloway and Brian Ortega.
Now, with Bektic forced to pull out of the bout because of an injury, UFC officials told MMA Fighting that Moicano will indeed play that role and will continue to train and cut weight in case of an accident strikes the December 8 title fight.
With just one loss in his professional career, Renato Moicano (11-1-1) is on a two-fight winning streak, having bested Calvin Kattar and Cub Swanson in his last couple of outings. His sole loss was to current top contender, Brian Ortega, who finished Moicano via guillotine choke back in July 2017.
UFC 231 will take place on December 8, in Toronto, Canada. The card will also feature a women’s flyweight title bout between Joanna Jedrzejczyk and Valentina Shevchenko.