Islam Makhachev will defend his lightweight title against last-minute replacement Renato Moicano at UFC 311, while Merab Dvalishvili and Umar Nurmagomedov will face off in the co-main event for the bantamweight title.
Islam Makhachev and Renato Moicano locked eyes for the first—and only—time before Saturday’s showdown.
This weekend, Makhachev defends his lightweight crown against Moicano in the UFC 311 main event. Initially, he was set to rematch Arman Tsarukyan. But a back injury sidelined Tsarukyan on Friday, paving the way for “Money” to step in at the eleventh hour.
When questioned about taking a last-minute opponent, Makhachev kept it straightforward.
“I couldn’t leave the people without a fight,” he remarked. “This is all for you guys.”
Moicano, on the other hand, had a bold message for fans embracing this unexpected chance.
“I don’t give a f*ck. I can’t afford to f*cking lose. Doesn’t matter if it’s the champion or not; tomorrow I’m winning.”
Surprisingly, the co-main event between Merab Dvalishvili and Umar Nurmagomedov was drama-free. Despite their heated exchanges since the first UFC 311 press conference, their final face-off was calm. Just a straightforward stare-down—no theatrics.
UFC 311 unfolds on Saturday at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif.