Renato Moicano is looking to extend his lightweight winning streak when he returns to action at the first PPV card of 2025.
The Brazilian knows that a win over Beneil Dariush will set him up for a huge fight next time out at 155-pounds.
Though he hadn't considered it in the past, Moicano told MMA Fighting that a clash with the BMF champ Max Holloway is exactly the kind of fight that he would be targeting if he gets his hand raised at the Intuit Dome:
“I would love to do that, especially Max Holloway now says he’s done at 145,” Moicano told MMA Fighting when asked about that potential fight. “If he really wants to be a 155’er, I think that would be an awesome fight, especially because that’s going to put me on [track for a title shot].
“100 percent if you beat Max Holloway, you’re fighting for the title. It’s a fight that I would be willing to take 100 percent.”
For a long time, Moicano has been linked with England's Paddy Pimblett but following his match-up with Dariush being made official for UFC 311, their potential contest has been pushed back.
Despite this, he is still interested in the idea of facing off with "The Baddy" if it's what the UFC put on his table.
“I will do what the UFC wants,” Moicano said. “If the UFC wants me to break his face, it’s going to be easy money. If not, I’ll move on and fight somebody else in the top five or for the title.
“Like I said, the title is good, but I want to build a brand. I want to build something bigger. A name, a persona, call it whatever you call it so after I’m done, I can capitalise on that. Like it or not, Paddy has a huge audience, he has a big name. That would be very good for my career so I would never say no.”
Pimblett has recently teased fight news and with the UFC returning to London, England on March 22, many expect him to be a part of the card.
Moicano gave his thoughts on how he believes that the scouser will be matched with his former foe that he defeated in dominant fashion last September in Paris.
“I think Paddy is fighting Benoit Saint Denis, that’s what I heard, and I think Benoit Saint Denis will beat his ass,” Moicano said. “Then the hype is gone. That’s what I feel.
“Benoit Saint Denis, people was hyping him a lot and then two losses, he’s kind of done. People think he’s going to lose to Paddy. I don’t think [that] but it’s just how MMA is. It’s just how it works. It’s all about the hype.”
Watch the full interview below:
