After a memorable performance at UFC 281, Renato Moicano has his sights set on Conor McGregor — at least, he’d love the opportunity if presented to him.
Moicano submitted Brad Riddell in the featured preliminary bout on Saturday’s event at Madison Square Garden in New York. Feeling disrespected heading in, Moicano delivered an incredible post-fight interview with Joe Rogan and let people see a different side of his personality.
Now that the newest rankings have come out, and he’s ranked above McGregor, Moicano would love to stand across the octagon from the biggest star in the history of the sport.
“F*** McGregor, bro, it’s my time,” Moicano said on The MMA Hour. “McGregor did a lot for the sport, but right now he’s done, that’s the truth. If he wants to get the smoke, he’ll be in trouble because I will beat him. I will beat his ass, you can be sure of that.”
Moicano has now submitted opponents in three of four, and was able to get back on track after dropping a five-round decision to Rafael dos Anjos at UFC 272 in March — a fight he took on less than a week’s notice.
If given options by the UFC, Moicano has narrowed his choices down to two fighters — with McGregor at the top of the list.
“F****** McGreor, of course I want to fight him,” Moicano said. “I don’t think he’d accept a fight with me because I think he’s going to 170 or something like that. He looks big, but if they [asked me who I’d want to] fight, it’d be McGregor or Islam Makhachev, of course because I want to be champion.
“I want to be a millionaire, so what better way than to beat a millionaire. F****** McGregor has the money. Moicano wants the money, McGregor has the money, so why not do that fight? It’s good.”
With his newfound fire, Moicano is finding himself as a personality — even talking about himself in the third person in a fun and entertaining way. At 33 years of age, Moicano understands his career as a fighter has a short shelf life, and he wants to make it all worth his while.
“Moicano wants the money. Moicano wants the McGregor fight. Moicano wants everything,” Moicano explained. “I’m going to put in the work to beat this guy up.
“This is the time. This is the best version of Moicano, and this is the best version of my broken english, but f*** that. I don’t care.”
