Renato Moicano faced a significant setback at UFC 311, losing to Islam Makhachev in a first-round submission. Moicano, who stepped in as a late replacement for Arman Tsarukyan, was originally scheduled to fight Beneil Dariush on the same card. He took the fight on short notice, after learning he would be fighting for the title, and successfully made the 155-pound weight limit, calling it one of the happiest moments of his life. However, his dream of becoming a UFC champion was quickly shattered. The submission loss was a harsh blow for the Brazilian fighter, who had always dreamt of holding a UFC title.

Following his loss, Moicano expressed deep disappointment, stating that he felt like he had let his life’s work be undone in a single round. He acknowledged that Makhachev was superior on the night. He later shared a message that he had planned to deliver on the microphone: urging people to read Murray Rothbard’s “What Has Government Done to Our Money!” He believes money should be a commodity, with its value determined by the free market. He also is critical of central banks, believing that they are enslaving new generations with debt and control of interest rates, driving economies to collapse. Moicano sees government control over currency, turning gold into fiat currency, as a cause for concern.

Moicano’s loss also triggered a heated exchange with Paddy Pimblett. The outspoken Brit criticized Moicano for tapping out from a D’Arce choke, suggesting he should have gone to sleep instead. Pimblett repeatedly called Moicano derogatory names for tapping out early, stating that Moicano tapped “like a bitch.” This criticism drew a response from retired UFC fighter Matt Brown, who defended Moicano’s decision to tap, stating, “There’s no shame in it. You got caught. That’s it.” Brown noted that experienced jiu-jitsu practitioners know when they are in inescapable holds and it’s better to tap and avoid injury. He believes that Pimblett’s criticism was simply a way to draw attention and possibly set up a future fight with Moicano.

Moicano responded to Pimblett’s comments, highlighting the fact that Pimblett has never taken a fight on short notice, labeling him as a privileged fighter whose success is due to favorable matchmaking by the UFC. Moicano believes Pimblett is not at the level of elite fighters like Makhachev and is confident that he would finish Pimblett in the first round. He has called for the fight to take place in Brazil. This conflict has fueled the discussion, and the potential fight between Moicano and Pimblett has gained traction with both fighters expressing their desire to compete against each other.

Despite the loss to Makhachev, Moicano earned a minimum of $250,000 for the fight, but he emphasized that the title opportunity was far more important to him. This loss interrupted a four-fight winning streak that followed a short-notice defeat to Rafael dos Anjos in 2022. Moicano is now looking to return quickly and use the Pimblett rivalry to bounce back.

Matt Brown has stated that he would like to see Moicano and Pimblett fight, stating, “I think that’s a solid matchup to make at this point.”