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EXCLUSIVE | Michael Bisping Defends Doctor In RDA-Moicano Non-Stoppage

Former UFC middleweight champion, Michael Bisping has defended the Octagon-side doctor’s decision to allow Renato Moicano to continue despite a nasty cut surrounding his eye at UFC 272 last weekend against Rafael dos Anjos, but maintains the former’s corner should have saved the lightweight contender from further punishment. Replacing a COVID-19 stricken Rafael Fiziev on […]

Replacing a COVID-19 stricken Rafael Fiziev on just four days notice last week, Moicano travelled from his native Brazil to tackle former undisputed lightweight champion, dos Anjos in a five round, 160lb catchweight bout – co-headlining UFC 272.

From the second round onward, however, Moicano’s pace began to falter as dos Anjos imposed a wrestling and grappling-heavy gameplan, as well as scoring a notable left high kick in the third round, wobbling and eventually dropping his compatriot.

Michael Bisping suffered a well-documented eye injury in his 2013 clash with Vitor Belfort

Allowed to continue until the final buzzer despite multiple warnings from referee, Marc Goddard – Moicano was also assessed by an Octagon-side physician, who elected that the lightweight was fit to continue, despite notable cuts surrounding his eye.

In the aftermath, the on-duty doctor received some notable criticizm for his decision to allow Moicano to continue into the fifth round despite the visible damage to his face, however, the aforenoted, Bisping defended the physician – and echoed his disappointment with Moicano’s corner for allowing him to continue rather than throwing in the towel.

“Neither you nor I am medically trained, you know what I mean,” Michael Bisping told LowKick MMA reporter, Jordan Ellis, during a recent interview to promote his documentary, This Is Michael Bisping. “So while the fighters – well, while (Renato) Moicano, specifically – it looks bad on the outside, you know what I mean. But it always does. They’re covered in blood, you clean it up and there’s a little nick there. Our heart rate is going up so it’s all pumping – and yes, that (Moicano’s eye) was swollen shut, and it certainly looked nasty.”

“I called for his (Moicano’s) corner to stop the fight, but he’s (the doctor) a medically trained professional, that has been around the fight game for a long time. He’s under no pressure from the UFC for the fights to continue. He knows, whether or not – he’s done it many times. Many, many times has he said, ‘Nah, I’ve gotta stop this fight’. You hear about it. On that occasion, he allowed the fight to continue. It’s not his fight to say, is he gonna win this fight, or is he gonna lose this fight? That’s his cornermen or the fighter in question. That’s their job to say, you’re never going to win this fight, so we might as well stop this now. …”

Bisping & RDA Say Moicano’s Corner Should Have Thrown In The Towel

UFC lightweight Rafael dos Anjos and Hall of Famer Michael Bisping have shared the same sentiment surrounding the decision to allow Renato Moicano to keep fighting at UFC 272. After the late withdrawal of Rafael Fiziev, Moicano stepped up on just five days’ notice to meet compatriot dos Anjos in the co-main event of the…

Continue Reading Bisping & RDA Say Moicano’s Corner Should Have Thrown In The Towel at MMA News.

UFC lightweight Rafael dos Anjos and Hall of Famer Michael Bisping have shared the same sentiment surrounding the decision to allow Renato Moicano to keep fighting at UFC 272.

After the late withdrawal of Rafael Fiziev, Moicano stepped up on just five days’ notice to meet compatriot dos Anjos in the co-main event of the March 5 pay-per-view.

While he left the Octagon after 25 minutes with the respect and admiration of the masses, he also exited having suffered a loss and an immense amount of damage in the process; an unnecessary level of damage, according to many.

While Moicano showed gratitude to the doctor for not stopping the fight, claiming he wouldn’t have known what he was made of had the clash been ended early, the victorious dos Anjos shared a different view.

During a post-fight appearance on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, the former UFC lightweight champion revealed his frustration at the hesitancy for MMA corners to throw in the towel.

“It drives me nuts because I see guys in boxing, all the time people throw the towel, stop the fight, and we don’t see that in MMA,” dos Anjos said.

“I think because of the small gloves, coaches think, ‘He’s gonna get a lucky punch and finish the fight,’ but I think we should see that more. I think coaches should be more aware, to know their fighters,” he added. “They’re not reacting, they’re not connecting anything that really hurts the other guy, so let’s stop it because you’re killing your fighter. I think that’s something that the coaches in MMA should be more aware of.” (h/t MMA Fighting)

Unsurprisingly, RDA is not alone with that opinion.

Bisping Backs RDA’s Take

Former UFC middleweight champion Bisping, who was on commentary duty at UFC 272 and had a front-row seat for dos Anjos vs. Moicano, admitted his concern at the damage that the younger Brazilian was taking inside Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena during a recent video uploaded to his YouTube channel.

“That fight should have been stopped. It’s as simple as that,” Bisping asserted. “It was, not one-way traffic, but it was three layers of traffic going (towards Moicano), and one lane of traffic (coming back)… After three rounds, his eye was absolutely messed up. It actually gave me cause for concern… When I was looking at the state of Moicano’s eye, I was like, ‘Well, this is done. It’s over.’ And to be honest, the offense he was giving back, dos Anjos was never in any danger.”

Like RDA, “The Count” believes the ATT coaches in Moicano’s corner should have undoubtedly put a stop to the beating themselves by throwing in the towel. He suggested they should have been “man enough” to prevent their man from sustaining any more damage.

Still don’t get why this is a five round fight.

I mean, I get it. But seems and seemed unnecessary. Moicano’s corner should stop this.

— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) March 6, 2022

“The corner should have threw in the towel. Because right there at the end of the third round, well he can’t possibly win on points, that’s for sure,” said Bisping. “He hasn’t got the power, and the pop and snap in his punches, to finish him right now, and he’s not gonna submit Rafael dos Anjos… Cornermen need to throw the towel in. The referee let it go, the doctor let it go; the corner should have (stopped it)… They’ve gotta be man enough to say. ‘You know what? I’m gonna save you from any further damage.’

“This is somebody’s life we’re talking about. This is somebody’s long-term health, and their fight career,” the Englishman added. “When you go through that kind of fight, never mind the physical damage, never mind your eyes and the cuts and the nose and the bones and everything that might be broken, the psychological trauma—you might never be the same again.”

UFC 272 results: Rafael dos Anjos turns Renato Moicano into a bloody zombie, wins wide decision - MMAmania.com — Renato Moicano, Image: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC

But despite believing the fight shouldn’t have seen a fourth or fifth frame, Bisping praised the way veteran referee Marc Goddard handled the contest. He also admitted that in his fighting days, he’d have loved the lenient attitude of the cage-side doctor.

“Marc Goddard, the referee, I thought did a great job. He brought in the doctor on two occasions. That doctor’s a savage. I love it. If I’m fighting, I always said to the referee when they would come into my room beforehand, I would always say, ‘Hey, listen ref, do not stop this fight…’ But that fight should have been stopped in round three. It was done.”

Bisping went on to suggest that athletic commissions need to send a mass memo to teams and coaches, advising them to have more “compassion” for their fighters and more of a “practical” outlook when it comes to stopping fights.

No excuses, thanks Rafael dos Anjos and @ufc for this opportunity. Today doesn’t define me. I’m victorious in life, the way I handle myself with my family and my team. Thanks God, this is a great time to be alive. Never forget, I’m always chasing the BIG MONEY PORRA! pic.twitter.com/rqKRk3N4MJ

— Renato Moicano UFC (@moicanoufc) March 6, 2022

Given his positive post-fight attitude, it appears Moicano has taken the defeat well and remains in good spirits despite the brutal beating. When he returns to the Octagon, we’ll be able to see whether the damage has had an effect on his future performances inside the cage.

Do you agree with Michael Bisping and RDA? Should Renato Moicano’s corner have thrown in the towel during the UFC 272 co-main event?

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Rafael dos Anjos Says Makhachev Is Paying The Price For Not Fighting Him

Rafael dos Anjos is happy that Islam Makhachev must fight another bout before getting a title shot. Rafael dos Anjos is coming off a big win this past weekend at UFC 272. Although his road to get there was a bit rocky, dos Anjos is now on a two-fight winning streak and making his way…

Continue Reading Rafael dos Anjos Says Makhachev Is Paying The Price For Not Fighting Him at MMA News.

Rafael dos Anjos is happy that Islam Makhachev must fight another bout before getting a title shot.

Rafael dos Anjos is coming off a big win this past weekend at UFC 272. Although his road to get there was a bit rocky, dos Anjos is now on a two-fight winning streak and making his way back up the rankings. His original opponent Rafael Fiziev was forced out of the bout last minute, and Renato Moicano stood in on short notice.

However, there was another man who dos Anjos was looking for. He was hoping Islam Makhachev would step in.

Makhachev last fought two weekends ago at UFC Vegas 49. He was toying with the idea of stepping on on a one-week turnaround to face dos Anjos, but in the end, he did not. Makhachev also lost his original opponent for his fight last minute but still walked away with the win.

Now, according to Dana White, it seems that Makhachev will have to fight one more time before receiving a title shot, much to dos Anjos’ satisfaction.

“That’s the price (Makhachev) pays for playing politics, playing these little games,” he told The MMA Hour via The Score. “He had his title shot secured, now he’s going to fight another one.”

Makhachev’s original opponent was Beneil Dariush. A win over him would have all but sealed a title shot. However, the win over Bobby Green may not hold as much weight. dos Anjos believes Makhachev’s offer to step in was not genuine and that he exposed this when he accepted Makhachev’s condition for the fight to take place at 170.

“I called his bluff,” he said. “I think that’s what it was. His team probably thought that I wouldn’t take this fight at 170. But you know what? I was training, I didn’t want to waste a whole fight camp, I hadn’t fought for 16 months. I just wanted to go there and fight someone.”

dos Anjos and Makhachev have been booked to fight one another on multiple occasions now. It seems that UFC 272 may have been the final chance to get it done, as they now appear to be on different courses.

Do you think Rafael dos Anjos and Islam Makhachev will fight each other one day?

Continue Reading Rafael dos Anjos Says Makhachev Is Paying The Price For Not Fighting Him at MMA News.

Islam Makhachev Thinks Conor McGregor Is ‘Too Drunk’ To Return At Lightweight

Islam Makhachev believes Conor McGregor will have a tough time making the lightweight limit for his UFC return. In a recent interview with Brett Okamoto from ESPN MMA, the Dagestani was asked about Dana White mentioning that it’s very possible that Conor McGregor could fight for the lightweight title next. “I think this is fake” […]

Islam Makhachev believes Conor McGregor will have a tough time making the lightweight limit for his UFC return.

In a recent interview with Brett Okamoto from ESPN MMA, the Dagestani was asked about Dana White mentioning that it’s very possible that Conor McGregor could fight for the lightweight title next.

“I think this is fake” said Makhachev.

“It’s going to be hard for him to make 155 (lightweight) because he is drunk all day. A lot of people are going to smash him in the division. He’s just going to fight with Nate Diaz or some old people, for some money. That’s it, he’s never going to be champion.” He added.

Conor McGregor has been vocal in the past few months about his desire to commit fully to his training and perhaps put away the bottle while doing so.

In response to McGregor’s tweets recently about challenging Makhachev for a future fight, the lightweight said with a smile.

“Yeah I saw that. Let’s go. Let’s do it.”

Makhachev has a feeling despite the recent callout from “Notorious”, the Irishman has no intention of getting into the octagon with him.

“He’s just playing a game; he’s never going to take this fight,” said Makhachev.

Islam believes that if they did get locked into the cage, the result might be worse than the time McGregor fought his mentor, Khabib Nurmagomedov, who is set to enter the UFC Hall of Fame in July.

“When he fought with Khabib, he was in good shape, not drunk. I think he have to retire, he has good money, but if he really wants to come back, lets do it. I will be happy to smash him.”

It’s unknown whether Conor McGregor will come back to fight at 155 or 170, but the possibilities are endless for the first-ever double champ.

Islam Makhachev still has eyes set on the lightweight title

Although Dana White may have recently said Islam Makhachev has to fight Beneil Dariush before he gets his shot at the title, the Russian still believes he still is next up. He said that he wanted to take the Rafael Dos Anjos fight at UFC 272 on short notice, but the UFC couldn’t fulfill his “small condition”. He did not reveal what the condition was, but he made sure it wasn’t about a reported $1,000,000 that some believed was his asking price.

The lightweight seems unfazed if he must go through Dariush because inevitably he believes regardless of who they put in front of him, he will be champion.

He left a message for the welterweight division as well saying,

“I’m going to take this belt and defend it like 3-5x and I’m going to come to the welterweight division”

Makhachev sat cage side at UFC 272 and said he wasn’t impressed by the performances of both Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal and believes he could beat both.

“Colby he just has wrestling. I can beat him very easy. His striking is too slow.” Makhachev added.

Luckily for the 170lb division, Makhachev still has unfinished business at 155.

You can watch the full interview here:

Islam Makhachev Denies Asking For $1M To Fight Rafael Dos Anjos

Islam Makhachev has given his version of the story after it was recently reported by Dana White that Makhachev had turned down the opportunity to face Rafael Dos Anjos on short notice at UFC 272. In his version of events, Makhachev revealed that he did offer himself up as a replacement for Rafael Fiziev, however […]

Islam Makhachev has given his version of the story after it was recently reported by Dana White that Makhachev had turned down the opportunity to face Rafael Dos Anjos on short notice at UFC 272.

In his version of events, Makhachev revealed that he did offer himself up as a replacement for Rafael Fiziev, however following discussions with the UFC he backed out of the idea due to the company denying a “very small” request that he had.

Makhachev spoke to Brett Okamoto to share light upon the situation. It had been rumoured Makhachev wanted $1 million to step in on short notice against Dos Anjos but he has openly denied this claim.

“You know, Brett? Dana said I turned down this fight but Monday morning when I woke up I just saw some news that [Rafael] Fiziev has COVID, the fight [is at a] standstill. I’ve been in California on vacation and I woke up and called my manager. [I said], ‘Hey Ali, I saw some news, please call the UFC and say I’m ready to take this fight.’ And I asked about some condition, very small condition. Nothing big, not [impossible] to do… But UFC [did] not do it that’s why it did not happen.”

It appears that both the UFC and Makhachev couldn’t agree on this issue meaning the fight fell through and Renato Moicano bravely stepped in on short notice. Makhachev revealed he called for the RDA fight and contacted the UFC himself, not the other way around.

“I just wanna help UFC for the fans, for everybody because this is like pay-per-view show. It’s big show. I just asked for very small condition, but UFC say no and that’s it.”

UFC To Reschedule Islam Makhachev Vs. Beneil Dariush

Despite this, it seems the UFC is now looking to rebook the Islam Makhachev Vs. Beneil Dariush fight with the winner being next in line for the title shot following Dariush having to pull out from their initial matchup due to sustaining an injury. This may suit Makhachev better given he feels Dos Anjos is not on the same level as him and beating him would have changed nothing.

“You know, I sat on the first row and watched this fight, dos Anjos not my level fighter. If I beat him people still talking like, ‘This is old man. He’s not from top 5.’” (transcribed by Sportskeeda.com)

Should Islam Makhachev be next in line for a title shot?

Islam Makhachev Wanted $1 Million To Fight Rafael Dos Anjos On Short-Notice

It seemed like Rafael Dos Anjos and Islam Makhachev were sure to square off this past weekend at UFC 272 after his planned fight with Rafael Fiziev was called off due to Fiziev contracting COVID. Both Dos Anjos and Makhachev agreed to fight one another until it was seemingly called off throughout the night. When […]

When the news came out that Fiziev was out of his fight with Dos Anjos, Makhachev was one of the fighters that put his name out there to fight on short notice. Both had a mutual interest in the fight but Dana White received a call that the fight was off the next morning.

Dos Anjos was willing to go all the way up to Welterweight to fight Makhachev and still refused to fight.

“You heard what Dana said. Islam didn’t take the fight. I said 165, and he could’ve done 165, but he said 170. I said I’d do 170 no problem, I even showed my scale after training at 171.”

He also even talks about Makhachev asking for an absorbent amount of money for taking this short-notice fight.

“I heard he asked for like a million dollars or something to fight. That’s what I heard.” Dos Anjos reveals on The MMA Hour

Dana White says that now after Makhachev turned down the fight against Dos Anjos, he will now have to take on Beneil Dariush for the next title shot. Did Makhachev shoot himself in the foot by agreeing to fight Dos Anjos and then refuse to fight all within 24 hours?

Tag: Rafael Dos Anjos