UFC lightweight contenders Beneil Dariush and Renato Moicano will collide in January.
The 35-year-old Dariush hasn’t been seen in the cage since a clash with Arman Tsarukyan last December, where he faced a knockout in his second consecutive fight, previously being finished by Charles Oliveira in June. Due to concerns about his brain health, the lightweight contender opted for a yearlong hiatus.
During this break, Beneil Dariush openly considered a possible move to 170 pounds. However, the longtime UFC lightweight contender has decided to remain at 155 pounds. Earlier today, the promotion announced Dariush’s return against Renato Moicano in January at UFC 311.
On the other hand, the Brazilian Moicano is coming off a headlining role against Benoit Saint-Denis in September. He dominated ‘God of War’ in France, handing the rising lightweight a second-round knockout loss. This victory marked the 35-year-old’s fourth consecutive win, with earlier triumphs against fighters like Jalin Turner and Drew Dober.
🚨 BREAKING! Beneil Dariush will fight Renato Moicano at #UFC311 on January 18th! (via @ufc) #UFC #MMA pic.twitter.com/MKYH1PctTR — Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) December 5, 2024
Following his victory in September, Renato Moicano called for a matchup with Paddy Pimblett. However, the promotion chose to book him against Beneil Dariush instead. This lightweight bout is a fantastic addition to UFC 311, which features several other significant fights as well.
Earlier this week, Dana White announced multiple matchups for the January pay-per-view event. At the top of the card will be a rematch between UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev and Arman Tsarukyan. The co-main event will showcase another title bout, with the newly crowned bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili facing Umar Nurmagomedov.
The undercard will also include high-profile clashes such as Jiri Prochazka vs. Jamahal Hill and Kevin Holland vs. Reinier de Ridder. With the announcement of Beneil Dariush vs. Renato Moicano, the UFC 311 card has become even more stacked.
What do you make of this UFC 311 fight announcement? Who do you expect to win: Beneil Dariush or Renato Moicano?
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