Renato Moicano didn’t leave UFC 311 with gold, but he’s definitely still “Money.”
The UFC had to find a replacement opponent for lightweight champion Islam Makhachev this past Saturday in Los Angeles, when Arman Tsarukyan bowed out of the originally scheduled main event with a back injury. To keep Makhachev on the card, UFC pulled Moicano from a fight with Beneil Dariush to challenge for the title instead.
Makhachev won handily, submitting Moicano in the first round, but Moicano was presumably well-compensated for his fight night save and for putting his four-fight win streak on the line. On the Show Me The Money podcast, Moicano was asked just how high the UFC went with their bonus check to reward him for his efforts.
“Over [$950,000],” Moicano said.
Official UFC 311 salaries were released due to the bout taking place in the state California and Moicano’s base pay was $250,000 with no win bonus. However, salaries made public by the commission typically do not include pay-per-view bonuses or any other bonuses the UFC sees fit to pay its fighters.
Even with a larger-than-usual check in his pocket, Moicano isn’t entirely happy with what he was left with when he departed from Los Angeles.
“The taxation is crazy,” Moicano said. “Crazy. I don’t know how people survive. Because California is one of the biggest GDP in the world. If you took their state, it’s like a country, but why? Because f*cking big tech. Silicon Valley, startups, and all that stuff, but these motherf*ckers they don’t pay taxes. ... You know what’s up. Jeff Bezos motherf*cker is not paying any f*cking money or taxes.”
Moicano’s title challenge lasted a little more than four minutes, so the 15-year veteran said he’s ready to return to action soon. As for possible opponents, he dismissed a Paddy Pimblett fight as being “too easy” and added he doesn’t feel he’s in position to call for any fights after his loss.
Regardless of the result, Moicano has no regrets about jumping on the late championship opportunity.
“I don’t get mad, but I was kind of surprised with the takes of everybody,” Moicano said. “People say so much dumb stuff, even some people were saying you should not have accepted the fight, you should have fought with Dariush. I say, ‘Man, you don’t know what you’re talking about. You don’t know how much money I made. You don’t know how much the opportunity means to me and it’s easy to talk now, after the results it’s easy to say, but it’s not easy, too.
“Imagine, Hunter called me and said, ‘You’re fighting for the title.’ I say, ‘No, you know what? I think Islam is better than me and I think I’m going to lose tomorrow.’ If you think like that, that’s why you’re working a nine-to-five job because you don’t take chances, you don’t take risks, and you know what? You’re going to be a piece of shit for the rest of your life. That’s the f*cking truth.”
TOP STORIES
Big money. David Feldman digs in to more details concerning BKFC’s upcoming $25 million tournament.
Call out. Cory Sandhagen thinks a fight with Sean O’Malley makes all the sense in the world.
Get well. Check out an X-ray image of Umar Nurmagomedov’s hand following surgery.
Pro. Aline Pereira, the sister of UFC star Alex Pereira, hopes she can be a full-time fighter soon.
Explanation. What exactly happened with the Vadim Nemkov vs. Corey Anderson trilogy bout?
Harsh. T.J. Dillashaw rules out Kevin Holland ever becoming UFC champion.
Return. Grappling legend Marcelo Garcia looks back on what could have been in his fighting career.
VIDEO STEW
Between the Links.
MMA Fighting’s Damon Martin gets the inside story from PFL star Vadim Nemkov.
Respect to the challenger.
Shara’s best UFC highlight.
SOCIAL MEDIA BOUILLABAISSE
Maybe Usman has different belts in his sights now?
— KAMARU USMAN (@USMAN84kg) January 23, 2025
Today was a great day. Thank you for the wonderful hospitality @TripleH @TKOGrpHoldings @WWE pic.twitter.com/25C005smV4
Oh?
Elephant Man.
— Charles 'DoBronxs' Oliveira (@CharlesDoBronxs) January 23, 2025
The Ultimate Fighter is back!
All I know is, The Ultimate Fighter show gonna be funny as fuck with @ChaelSonnen and @dc_mma Which one of you want me to come out for an episode?
— Rampage Jackson (@Rampage4real) January 24, 2025
Legendary.
Doing some cleaning around the office and found this. Seems like yesterday….. pic.twitter.com/bphU7gii0v
— Rich Chou (@rich_chou) January 23, 2025
UFC Tiranë, anyone?
Hopefully we can take a big @ufc card to Albania soon @danawhite @Mickmaynard2 Show the world how beautiful my country really is! https://t.co/t58cEty30f
— Bernardo Sopai (@BernardoSopai) January 24, 2025
Break it down.
Magomed Ankalaev KEYS TO VICTORY
— Henry Cejudo (@HenryCejudo) January 23, 2025
Move Pereira backwards
Negate Poatan’s calf kicks
SAMBO SAMBO SAMBO!!!
What do you think Mahomes Ankalaev needs to do in order to defeat Alex Pereira and become the next UFC Lightweight Champion of the world? Has Poatan signed the… pic.twitter.com/LsoTzNudsT
Showdown.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Good on Moicano for jumping on an opportunity that, frankly, he might never have earned the old-fashioned way. Does he do better against Makhachev on a full camp? Who can say? What we do know is he got paid in full, maybe less than he deserved, but it sounds like way more than he ever has before. So overall, he did the smart thing.
Right?
EXIT POLL
If you find something you’d like to see in the Morning Report, hit up @AlexanderKlee or @JedKMeshew on Twitter and let us know about it. Also, follow MMAFighting on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and like us on Facebook.
from MMA Fighting - All Posts https://ift.tt/MDETdK0
0 Comments
Dear valued readers,
I am writing to you today as LaPhezz, an international man of mystery with a passion for technology and a fascination for analytics. I have traveled the world and lived in many different places, and I have experienced a wide range of cultures and perspectives.
Despite my travels and encounters with countless people from all walks of life, I remain something of an enigma. My true identity is known to only a select few, and even those who know me well are often left guessing at my motivations and intentions.
As a tech enthusiast, I am always looking for new ways to leverage data and analytics to solve complex problems and make the world a better place. I believe that technology can be a powerful tool for positive change, and I am constantly exploring the latest trends and innovations in the field.
I am grateful to have such a diverse and engaged readership, and I am always eager to hear your feedback and insights. Whether you have questions about my work, suggestions for new topics to explore, or simply want to connect with a fellow tech enthusiast, I am always here to listen and engage.
Thank you for your continued support and interest in my work. Together, we can use technology and analytics to create a brighter, more connected world.
Best regards,
LaPhezz