Is Renato Moicano in the top 15 of the lightweight rankings?

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We take a look at the ranking and record of UFC lightweight, Renato Moicano

Renato Moicano has been in the news this fight-week for courageously saving the UFC 272 co-main event, after Rafael Fiziev pulled out his fight against Rafael Dos Anjos due to Covid.

Moicano vs Hadzovic UFC
NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 07: Renato Moicano (L) and Calvin Kattar (R) trade punches during their featherweight bout at UFC 223 at Barclays Center on April 7, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Ed Mulholland/Getty Images)

Moicano is ranked 17th in the official UFC lightweight rankings. He made his UFC in 2014 against Tom Niinimäki and won the fight by submission. He holds notable wins against popular UFC fighters, Jeremy Stephens, Cub Swanson and Calvin Kattar.

Consistency has been a lingering issue for Moicano, who has brief moments of excellence, but eventually falls short of racking a decent run. He lost to Rafael Fiziev at UFC 256 by knockout.

He enters UFC 272 with one of the biggest opportunities of his career. Moicano who has impressively won his last two fights by submission, will look to make a statement by beating Dos Anjos, and breaking into the top 15 of the UFC lightweight rankings.

Renato Moicano looks pumped ahead of his UFC 272 co-main duties against Rafael Dos Anjos

Rafael Dos Anjos blasts Islam Makhachev

After the news emerged that Rafael Fiziev was forced to withdraw from his UFC 27 fight due to COVID, several fighters put their names into the hat to fight Dos Anjos.

Rafael dos Anjos net worth
Is Renato Moicano in the top 15 of the lightweight rankings? 3

One name that stood out was Islam Makhachev, who just fought and destroyed Bobby Green at UFC Vegas 49. Islam Makhachev even suggested a catchweight bout against Dos Anjos. The pair were booked to fight at UFC 267, after the UFC tried to book this fight several times. But the fight failed to materialize after Dos Anjos suffered an injury.

The Brazilian poked fun at Makhachev for bluffing his willingness to fight him on short notice. He quoted, “I called his bluff and he folded. Let’s move on…

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