Renato Moicano reveals reason UFC didn't pick him to replace Dan Hooker against Justin Gaethje at UFC 313 and it's similar to Arman Tsarukuan's case
Renato Moicano has revealed why the UFC did not select him to step in against Justin Gaethje at UFC 313 after Dan Hooker’s withdrawal from the bout due to a hand injury.
Hooker and Gaethje were set to lock horns in the co-main event of UFC 313 in a five-rounder. However, after 'The Hangman's' withdrawal, No.11-ranked lightweight Rafael Fiziev was announced as the Kiwi's replacement, and he'll run it back with 'The Highlight' this Saturday in a three-rounder.
The UFC, however, had other options, and Moicano was among the combatants considered as a short-notice option to replace Hooker. The Brazilian UFC fighter most recently served as Arman Tsarukyan’s last-minute replacement at UFC 311 after the latter withdrew the day before his title bout against reigning UFC lightweight kingpin Islam Makhachev.
Moicano has now revealed that the UFC contacted him regarding fighting Gaethje. However, he was 190 pounds at the time and hence requested the fight to be at a catchweight, which was declined.
On Moicano's Show Me The Money Podcast, he said:
"Just to clarify, people were saying that I run from the fight. But to be honest, UFC messaged me and I said, ‘Hey, I am 190 [pounds]. We can do a catchweight.’ But they didn’t want a catchweight, so it is what it is."
Check out Renato Moicano's comments below (1:07:16):
Renato Moicano makes his picks for the UFC 313 main and co-main event
On the same episode of the Show Me The Money Podcast, Renato Moicano shared his picks for the weekend's co-main event: Justin Gaethje vs. Rafael Fiziev. He said:
“I think Gaethje will beat Fiziev, but that’s a very competitive and that’s a very good fight to watch again." [1:07:39]
Talking about the main event of UFC 313, he stated that while he wants his countryman Alex Pereira to win, he believes surging Russian Magomed Ankalaev will prevail.
"I'm going 'Poatan' just because I want him to win… I think Ankalaev wins. Brother I’ll be completely honest with you I have YouTube channel I post sh*t about 'Poatan' the whole day and I get more than 100k. Every time that I post 'Poatan' I got views. So I want the motherf***er to win, simple as that." [1:08:36]