Tag: Islam Makhachev

New, last-minute challenger, no problem for Islam Makhachev.

Makhachev became the first fighter in UFC lightweight history to defend the championship four times with a quick submission victory over Renato Moicano in the main event of UFC 311.

Moicano appeared to get off to a decent start, landing a couple of strong shots on the champ during the first round. When the fight got to the ground, however, it wasn’t close.

The Dagestani was able to lock in a D’Arce choke and scored a quick submission to retain the gold.

Islam Makhachev Submits Late-Notice Challenger Renato Moicano To Keep Lightweight Title At UFC 311

Makhachev was originally scheduled to defend the championship against No. 1 contender Arman Tsarukyan before the Armenian withdrew on the day of the weigh-ins with a back injury.

The champ won the title by defeating Charles Oliveira at UFC 280 before retaining the belt against then-featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski twice, at UFC 284 and UFC 294, and Dustin Poirier at UFC 302.

Moicano, meanwhile, was originally booked to face Beneil Dariush on tonight’s card. He entered UFC 311 on a four-fight win streak and with six wins in his last seven. He had most recently defeated Benoît Saint Denis at UFC Paris in September.

Renato Moicano might pose a more demanding test for Islam Makhachev than Arman Tsarukyan — at least, that’s the perspective of an MMA legend.

Makhachev had spent months training to defend his lightweight title against Arman Tsarukyan in the highly anticipated main event of UFC 311 this Saturday at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. However, on Friday, the matchup was abruptly derailed when UFC CEO Dana White revealed that “Ahalkalakets” had to withdraw from their rematch because of a back injury.

Eventually, “Money” swooped in at the last moment to save the UFC 311 main event, stepping up as Tsarukyan’s replacement. Moicano had originally been scheduled to face Beneil Dariush on the same card.

Many fans and analysts alike see Moicano as an easy matchup for Makhachev, a sentiment echoed by the oddsmakers who have installed the Dagestani as an overwhelming favorite heading into the fight. However, Demetrious Johnson sees things quite differently.

During a recent video on his YouTube channel, “Mighty” weighed in on the reshuffled UFC 311 main event between Makhachev and Moicano following Tsarukyan’s sudden withdrawal. The former UFC flyweight champion emphasized how the short-notice aspect of the matchup brings a fresh dynamic, and boldly suggested that “Money” might pose a more formidable challenge for Makhachev than many expect.

“I think it’s a better fight, Johnson said. “Here’s the reason why: you look at what ‘Money’ Moicano has done recently. He is on a tear because the man ‘can’t afford to lose,’ and I think it’s a tougher fight for Islam Makhachev. The reason is that you have to do it within 24 hours; you have no idea what the game plan’s going to be, and the whole thing changes.

“But right now, Islam Makhachev is the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, so he can fight anybody on any given day. But you do have to make some adjustments, because the way that ‘Money’ fights compared to what Arman does is night and day different. I feel Renato Moicano is way more dangerous than Arman just because he’s not going to rely on the wrestling. He’s gonna go after him, he’s gonna throw knees, he’s gonna throw combinations. And he’s a f**king dog. He’s gonna bring a dog fight.”