Renato Moicano doesn’t have high hopes for Dan Hooker vs Brian Ortega.
Moicano returns to face Tom Nolan at UFC Vegas 123 in the lightweight main event.
This will be the Brazilian’s second outing of the year, though he could have been more active if it wasn’t for two cancelled matchups with the same opponent.
Moicano was disappointed to not get Brian Ortega after calling the fight ‘easiest money’, and he doesn’t think much of the direction the promotion went in instead.
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Renato Moicano rips into Brian Ortega vs Dan Hooker UFC Qatar matchup
A freak accident led to Brian Ortega withdrawing from his rebooked matchup with Renato Moicano last month.
Following several attempts to have these two former featherweights rematch each other at lightweight, the UFC then chose to keep them apart for the time being.
Ortega will instead be making his 155-pound debut next month when he takes on Dan Hooker at UFC Qatar.
Moving away from the clash with ‘T-City’ after it was scheduled to take place twice this year hasn’t sat well with Moicano.
Ahead of his main event this weekend, the outspoken Brazilian was asked what he thinks about the Ortega vs Hooker bout that is booked for the Ali Bin Hamad al-Attiyah Arena.
“Let’s see, I don’t know. Who do you think is going to win? This is going to be the worst fight of the UFC, brother,” Moicano told Full Send MMA. “Brian Ortega vs Dan Hooker. Man, that’s f—– up. I don’t know how the UFC made that fight. But, let’s wait and see how they do.”
Renato Moicano took Tom Nolan matchup because he needed to fight this month
Renato Moicano has been vocal about wanting to fight bigger names in recent times.
Instead, after Moicano submitted Chris Duncan last time out, he has drawn another rising lightweight star, Australia’s Tom Nolan.
He explained during the interview that he doesn’t have the same complaints about this matchup due to needing to get a fight in before next month.
“I had the opportunity to not take this fight but like I say, my wife is pregnant,” he told Full Send MMA. “We’re expecting twins in December so if I don’t fight until December, November, these twins, she could deliver early. I would have to wait six or seven months because I already have two boys.”
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