Renato Moicano and Paddy Pimblett are engaged in a heated exchange on social media following Moicano’s short-notice loss to Islam Makhachev, with both fighters expressing interest in facing each other in the octagon.
Renato Moicano might already have his next opponent lined up after his unexpected title fight appearance. Saturday’s UFC 311 main event didn’t go as planned for Moicano. He stepped up to fight lightweight champion Islam Makhachev on less than 48 hours’ notice. Why? Arman Tsarukyan, the original opponent, withdrew due to a back injury.
Moicano was already on the card, set to face Beneil Dariush. But being in fighting shape didn’t help much. Makhachev submitted him inside of a round. Ouch.
Paddy Pimblett, never one to miss an opportunity, took a jab at Moicano. In a reaction video, he blasted Moicano for tapping out to Makhachev’s D’Arce choke. Classic Paddy.
Moicano heard those comments and didn’t hold back. His response was fiery, aimed directly at his longtime rival. On Twitter, he fired back: “Paddy pimblitch is talking shit! Let me tell you something you gonna tap if we fight! You never got a short notice fight in your life imagine one day notice!”
This sparked a back-and-forth between the two contenders. Pimblett accused Moicano of quitting and predicted he’d do the same in their potential matchup. Moicano countered, saying judges won’t save Pimblett. To which Paddy retorted, “I won’t need judges for you they’ll have the night off if we fight.”
For now, Moicano had the last word by tagging UFC CEO Dana White on social media. His message was simple: “Just book this fight already.”
These two have been circling each other for years, often discussing a potential clash during their rise through the ranks. Before facing Makhachev, Moicano had four straight victories under his belt. Meanwhile, Pimblett boasts a 6-0 record in the UFC with recent wins over veterans King Green and Tony Ferguson.
At this moment, Pimblett’s schedule is open, and Moicano could be looking for a quick turnaround after UFC 311’s disappointment. Will they finally meet in the octagon? Only time will tell.