Renato Moicano never expected Paddy Pimblett to be kind enough to kill him.
After Jalin Turner's finish at UFC 300, Moicano wasted no time looking to the future with a series of potential matchups. Previously, Pimblett had called him out, but Moicano had responded quite emphatically, and there seemed to be a growing rivalry between the two.
However, a few days after his latest win, Moicano actually refrained from making the harshest comments regarding Pimblett after learning that the 29-year-old Liverpool native had praised his performance last Saturday night. I admitted that I had to.
“I wanted to say something bad about Paddy, but he's said a lot of good things about me, so I'm not going to criticize him,” Moicano said on Monday. MMA Hour. “He congratulated me on the match and said, 'It was a very good match for Moicano.'” Someone sent me a video. ”
The video comes from Pimblett's YouTube channel, where Pimblett reacted to every fight at UFC 300, including Moicano's second round stoppage of Turner.
Pimblett actually expected to hear Moicano's name remove him from potential opponents after Bobby Greene called him out minutes before his win over Jim Miller. Pimblett seemed almost disappointed that Moicano didn't mention him, but he still gushed the Brazilian for surviving the early knockdown and coming back to score his own finish. It was evaluated as follows.
“Renato, where was the call?” said Mr. Pimblett. “I thought Moicano would mention me there, but props for the performance. It was a very, very good performance. I survived until the end of the first round and then came back and beat him in the second round. It was a quality performance from Moicano. Congratulations, man. Top 10 for you.
“He's an interesting guy. Maybe it's me versus Moicano. It's going to be a very good season. The ultimate fighter. you never know. We may find out in the next few years. ”
It remains to be seen whether Pimblett's wish will come true, but Moicano isn't opposed to the idea.
Of course, Moicano's mercy towards Pimblett has its limits, especially if they end up fighting each other.
“He said he probably would like to do it. ultimate fighter, Moicano vs. Paddy. I’m not against it,” Moicano said. “I think it's going to be very, very interesting. So I'm not going to talk too much trash about him.
“But if he wants to smoke, I'll give him easy money, brother. I know you're being nice. I know all that crap. But Remember, Moikano wants money. I swear to God, everyone else pays in cash, Mom.
Currently on a three-fight win streak, Moicano isn't sure what the UFC will do with him next, but he wants to stay busy. In an ideal world, Moicano would like to be back in time for the UFC 301 card in Brazil, but that doesn't seem likely to happen.
“100 percent, I'm down,” Moicano said of the fight on the May 4 card. “I'm happy. I can compete tomorrow. I'm a man with a mission. I want to be in the top five this year.”
While he might be open to a fight with Pimblett later this year, Moicano also has options available in the upper ranks of the lightweight division.
There are a few names in particular we're hoping to hear from in the coming weeks, but Moicano would like to hopefully have the opportunity to grow in star power as well as his status.
“I’m in a strange place,” Moicano said. “I'm going to be in the top 10, but I don't know if they're going to give it to me.” [Beneil] Dalish and Dan Hooker. But at the same time, I don't think they have the star power to be a star, and I think I can be a star too. We need a few more matches.
“If I continue to fight the way I am, if I continue to speak the way I am, if I continue to connect with the truth, my message will resonate with people. My English has improved and my MMA He will become a big star not only in MMA but also in MMA.”
