The UFC was in Paris, France for a solid UFC Paris card on Saturday which saw a battle of top-15 lightweights as Renato Moicano took on Benoit Saint-Denis.
In the main event, Moicano was going into enemy territory and entered the bout on a four-fight winning streak. Saint-Denis, meanwhile, was coming off a stoppage loss to Dustin Poirier back in March.
Ultimately, it was Moicano who won by second-round TKO doctor stoppage as he busted up Saint-Denis in the first round. It was a dominating performance. Following UFC Paris, here is what I think should be next for fighters involved in the main event.
Renato Moicano
Renato Moicano proved he is a legit title contender at lightweight as he dominated Benoit Saint-Denis en route to the win. The Brazilian took Saint-Denis down early and he landed heavy ground-and-pound to bust up Saint-Denis’ face. After more damage in the second round, his eye was completely shut and the doctor stopped the fight.
Following the win, Moicano could get a top-five opponent next and be a win or two away from a title shot. One fight that should happen is a Fight Night main event against Dan Hooker in early 2025. The lead-up to the fight would be full of trash talk. The winner could cement themselves as the No. 1 contender.
Benoit Saint-Denis
Benoit Saint-Denis looked like he was a future title contender but is now on a two-fight losing streak. The Frenchman was dominated against Renato Moicano as he had nothing for the Brazilian from the get-go. Although he did have success in the second round, his eye was shut and he couldn’t continue.
Following the loss, Saint-Denis will need a step down in competition as he looks to rebuild himself. An unranked opponent could be next and one logical opponent is to face Diego Ferreira. The Brazilian is a former top-15 fighter who’s coming off a win over Mateusz Rebecki. It’s a chance to see which fighter deserves a top-15 spot.