Renato Moicano replaces Arman Tsarukyan in UFC 311 main event
Renato Moicano will face Islam Makhachev for the lightweight title at UFC 311 after Arman Tsarukyan withdrew due to back pain. The lightweight champion, who holds a 26-1 record, remains the favorite against the number 7 ranked Moicano at the Intuit Dome.
Renato Moicano steps into the lightweight title fight against Islam Makhachev after Arman Tsarukyan withdrew due to back pain. Dana White confirmed the change on Friday, noting that Tsarukyan informed the promotion he was not healthy enough to compete following significant back pain. Moicano, who originally scheduled a three-round contest with Beneil Dariush, already made championship weight for the January 18 event at the Intuit Dome.
The main event shift favors Makhachev
Islam Makhachev remains the favorite despite the sudden opponent change. The lightweight champion holds a 26-1 record and a 14-fight unbeaten streak. He faces Moicano, a fighter ranked number 7 in the division with a 20-5-1 career record. Moicano enters the cage riding a four-fight win streak, including a second-round TKO over Benoit Saint Denis in September.
Makhachev responded to the news by stating he does not care who he fights because the title means being the best in the world. While Moicano has won six of his last seven bouts, he lacks the high ranking of the original challenger, Arman Tsarukyan. Tsarukyan, who holds a 9-1 run since his 2019 loss to Makhachev, cited his injury as the reason for his withdrawal. Can Moicano overcome the gap in divisional ranking?
| Fighter | Record | Recent Streak |
|---|---|---|
| Islam Makhachev | 26-1-0 | 14 wins |
| Renato Moicano | 20-5-1 | 4 wins |
Card changes and co-main event details
The UFC 311 lineup underwent further adjustments as Beneil Dariush will no longer participate on the card. The promotion expects to sort out his situation soon. In the co-main event, bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili defends his belt against Umar Nurmagomedov. Dvalishvili holds an 11-fight winning streak and defeated Sean O’Malley in September to claim the title. Nurmagomedov maintains a perfect 18-0 professional record.
The undercard also saw a change when Sedriques Dumas withdrew from his preliminary bout. Azamat Bekoev, an 18-3 fighter with a six-fight win streak, takes his place against Zachary Reese. Heavyweight bout Jailton Almeida vs. Serghei Spivac moved from the prelims to the main card. This heavyweight clash features Almeida, who spent 87.3% of his eight UFC fights in control. Will the heavy hitters maintain the momentum of the revamped card?
