UFC fighter Thiago Moises aims to rise up in the rankings again, with ambitions to rematch against Islam Makhachev, and is looking forward to his match against Benoit Saint-Denis in Paris.
Thiago Moises, already having been close to the pinnacle of UFC, harbors a deep aspiration to ascend there once more. In 2021, he matched up against Islam Makhachev, marking both fighters’ debut in a UFC main event. However, the Brazil-born veteran from the Contender Series found himself on the receiving end of a fourth-round rear-naked choke submission launched by Makhachev. Despite the unwelcome result, Moises took away important experience and the confidence to stand his ground against anyone, potentially even a future champion, within the UFC lightweight division.
Proclaiming his self-belief, Moises opens up about the key insights he gleaned from his encounter with Makhachev. He enlightened himself about his capacity to hold his own and the possibility to triumph against the best in the world. His experience has also taught him not to underestimate anyone; he believes anyone, including Makhachev, can be taken down at any given time. Currently on a two-fight winning streak, Moises harbors hopes of extending it to three when he faces Benoit Saint-Denis at the UFC Paris. A rematch with Makhachev with a UFC title at stake is a tantalizing prospect for Moises, offering a chance for a sweet revenge. However, he doubts whether Makhachev will retain the belt after a clash with Charles Oliveira, scheduled for the second time at UFC 294.
The fight, a rematch of the previous one-sided affair in which Makhachev triumphed, is expected by Moises to transpire very differently on October 21. Though initially Oliveira was at the losing end, Moises convincingly backs him should he have learned from his prior missteps, especially if he fights in the same vein as he did against Beneil Dariush. Oliveira earning the championship would be a personally satisfying outcome for Moises in light of Oliveira’s story of struggling to make a name for himself. Moises deeply empathizes with this and rooting for him.
As for his own career trajectory, Moises is paving a path of his own, preparing for a heated encounter with French lightweight, Saint-Denis. Moises is looking forward to the hot reception he is likely to encounter in his opponent’s home ground. The opportunity to fight in front of a live audience excited him, having been used to competing in the UFC APEX. A victory over Saint-Denis could propel him back into the lightweight rankings, a spot he held prior to his consecutive losses. However, Moises remains grounded, claiming that each subsequent fight is paramount for his career, with chances at proving his worthiness and a potential rematch against Makhachev at the horizon. Meanwhile, his focus remains to capitalize on the shortcomings of his imminent opponent, Saint-Denis, in the upcoming face-off.