Islam Makhachev’s Rival Reveals Truth About Hefty Compensation from Dana White

Islam Makhachev's rival from UFC 311 talks about changing his laid-back approach and getting a win at the upcoming UFC 317 PPV event.

Islam Makhachev’s Rival Reveals Truth About Hefty Compensation from Dana White

Renato Moicano talks about getting back to his old self after the Islam Makhachev fight (via MMA Fighting)

After blasting the UFC for not giving him easy money fights, Renato Moicano directly got the hardest fight in the division. Earlier this year at UFC 311, he fought the pound-for-pound king Islam Makhachev as a last moment substitution fighter. Despite his loud promises, Moicano lost the lightweight title bout in the first round. However, the Brazilian fighter mentioned that it won’t happen again. 

Before fighting Makhachev, Renato Moicano was riding an incredible four-fight winning streak and popularized the catchphrase “I cannot afford to lose.” Despite his financial motivations, the Brazilian was trapped by Makhachev with D’arce choke submission, and was forced to submit. Ahead of his fight against Beneil Dariush, ‘Money Moicano’ spoke about regaining his motivation in an interview with Home of Fighting.

Unlike I said last fight, I could afford to lose due to short notice, and I got a flat purse. But now, I got to fight back to my double cheques. I’m not fu***ng losing.

Given it was a title fight and a last-minute substitution, Moicano negotiated a hefty fight purse with UFC CEO Dana White. Although the fighter didn’t disclose the exact amount, he revealed it was enough to buy nine bitcoins, worth over $900K. However, he might not receive the same payout for the upcoming Dariush fight, meaning he must win decisively.

To increase his earnings, Moicano must secure performance bonuses on top of the base fight purse for his upcoming fight. This fight was originally scheduled for UFC 311, but after the last-minute substitution, Dariush had no fights until the rebooking. Recently, the American criticized Moicano for losing easily to Makhachev, and said he would have beaten the Dagestani.

Nevertheless, Moicano is quite confident about putting on a great show and picking up a win at the International Fight Week. He has also expressed clear interest in fighting Michael Chandler or Paddy Pimblett next, depending on how this fight goes. A win can positively help him gain momentum and receive a well-deserved push toward another possible UFC title shot opportunity.

Islam Makhachev will have troubles facing welterweight champ, says Renato Moicano 

Nobody thought that UFC 311 would be Islam Makhachev’s last fight as lightweight champion, but he recently vacated the title. His surprising decision was followed by Jack Della Maddalena’s impressive title win against Belal Muhammad at UFC 315 this month. The Dagestani remains confident about defeating JDM and capturing a second title to further elevate his fighting legacy.

Renato Moicano predicts Islam Makhachev vs. Jack Della Maddalena superfight
Renato Moicano predicts Islam Makhachev vs. Jack Della Maddalena superfight (his X/Imago)

However, following Della Maddalena’s dominant performance at UFC 315, the narrative has noticeably shifted in his favor among fans. Currently, the betting odds for a potential JDM vs. Makhachev match-up are even, suggesting a closely contested superfight in Australia. Renato Moicano also joined the ongoing discussion and publicly shared his thoughts regarding the bout in the same interview.

Even though he’s a good grappler and he’s nice for 155. He’s moving to 170. He needs to take some time to gain weight, to gain power & strength. That’s why the odds are even and I think it should be even.

Against Muhammad, Della Maddalena displayed excellent movement and striking precision, dominating the exchanges and winning decisively on the judges’ scorecards. He surprised fans by stuffing most of Muhammad’s takedowns, showcasing defensive wrestling improvements developed through training with BJJ expert Craig Jones. Jones later mocked Makhachev in a humorous skit, indirectly teasing a potential strategic challenge for their future showdown.

JDM’s composure under pressure and ability to mix angles make him dangerous, especially when punishing opponents who attempt takedowns recklessly. However, according to Makhachev’s coach, Javier Mendez, the Dagestani doesn’t make sloppy mistakes in his game plan and would bring his A game.

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