Renato Moicano reignited his momentum in the lightweight division with a statement win last weekend.
The Brazilian star submitted Chris Duncan in the second round while headlining a UFC Fight Night.
It marked his first appearance in almost a year and came under significant pressure. After two consecutive losses, questions had emerged about his future if he failed to deliver.
Instead, Moicano responded emphatically and quickly turned his attention to what comes next. His post-fight comments made clear he believes he still belongs among the division’s elite.
Renato Moicano labels three top-10 lightweights ‘easy money’ after UFC win
Moicano did not hold back when discussing potential opponents on the UFC Fight Night Post Show. He singled out three ranked lightweights and dismissed them with confidence.
“Dan Hooker, f—— easy money Paddy Pimblett, f—— easy money. Benoit Saint Denis, f—— easy money,” the 36-year-old stated.
Each fighter is in a different position heading into the next stretch of fights. Hooker is coming off back-to-back losses against Arman Tsarukyan and Benoit Saint Denis.
Pimblett also enters off a defeat after losing to Justin Gaethje in their interim lightweight title fight in January.
Meanwhile, Saint Denis is on a four-fight win streak. However, Moicano already holds a victory over the Frenchman. Their 2024 Paris clash ended in a TKO after doctors stopped the fight due to Saint Denis’ serious eye injuries.
Renato Moicano rules out fight with Mauricio Ruffy
While calling out multiple contenders, Moicano also made clear there are fights he does not want. He singled out fellow Brazilian Mauricio Ruffy as someone he would rather avoid.
“I don’t want anything against Mauricio Ruffy. Back in the day I thought that I could beat this m———, but now, after what he did against Fiziev… Did you see that? This guy is the real deal. I don’t want anything with Mauricio Ruffy,” he stated.
Moicano also joked about facing Mateusz Gamrot but dismissed the idea due to their shared training environment at the American Top Team.
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