Renato Moicano is pissed and he’s letting the UFC’s rankings panel know it.
Last weekend, ‘Money’ walked into UFC Paris as the No. 11 ranked lightweight in the world. After delivering an absolutely dominant performance against Benoit Saint-Denis in enemy territory and forcing a doctor’s stoppage following the second round, Moicano still finds himself stuck outside of the division’s top 10 rankings.
With no 50k bonus for his performance and no move up the rankings, the Brazilian is feeling understandably cheated and decided to vent his frustration via a series of posts on X explaining why he deserves a spot far closer to the top five than where he appears to be stuck at.
“If UFC Rankings Aren’t Total Bullsh*t, I Should Be Ranked #6 in the Lightweight Division Tomorrow,” Moicano wrote. “Why? In the last 8 months, I’ve fought 3 times and I’m on a 6-fight win streak in the lightweight division, with 5 stoppages.
Yet, ranked above me are:
#10 Max Holloway: A legend, but he’s a 145 and will be facing Topuria for the featherweight belt at UFC 308. Even if he loses, his spot in the lightweight rankings makes no sense. He just beat Gaethje, so if anything, he should be ranked #3. I’d gladly take #7 if that was case.
#9 Rafael Fiziev: Coming off 2 losses to Mateusz Gamrot and Justin Gaethje. His last fight was in September 2023. #8 Mateusz Gamrot: Coming off a loss to Dan Hooker in August 2024. #7 Beneil Dariush: Coming off 2 losses to Charles Oliveira and Arman Tsarukyan. His last fight was in December 2023.
#7 Beneil Dariush: Coming off 2 losses to Charles Oliveira and Arman Tsarukyan. His last fight was in December 2023. #6 Michael Chandler: If anyone doesn’t deserve this spot, it’s Michael Chandler. He’s 2-3 in the UFC, coming off a loss to Dustin Poirier in November 2022. Since then, he’s been sitting out, waiting for Conor McGregor’s return, and only now decided to fight Charles Oliveira.
“There’s no way I’m not #6 in the lightweight division right now.”
Renato Moicano eyes clash with UFC’s fifth-ranked lightweight, Dan Hooker
If Moicano is trying to find the fastest way to a top-five ranking, Dan Hooker is probably his best option. Following a couple of big wins over Jalin Turn and Mateusz Gamrot, ‘The Hangman’ finds himself as the fifth-ranked contender in the division and a prime target for anyone looking to break in.
Moicano and Hooker have already agreed to a scrap after exchanging some unpleasantries on social media. Now it’s just a matter of drawing up the contracts.
