“Killed more than 40,000,” Dark side of French Revolution exposed by UFC star Renato Moicano ahead of UFC Paris

Renato Moicano takes on Frenchman Benoit Saint-Denis this weekend. With a landmark win in Saturday’s UFC Paris (UFC Fight Night 243) main event, the surging Brazilian means to tread ahead. Hence, the bizarrely witty and animated Moicano means business when he enters the octagon this weekend. However, other than divisional goals, the duo had no rivalry until Thursday’s Media Day. That necessarily does not mean Moicano is all buddy-bud with his counterpart and the idea of the French Revolution.

The ever-electric character that is Renato Moicano is never out of words or weirdly vibrant callouts. He even once hijacked MMA journo John Morgan‘s commentary at the regional Cage Fury Fighting Championship to make callouts. The American Top Team (ATT) fighter also keeps the company of books. ‘Money’ Moicano and his aim to “break Saint-Denis’ face” is pure zeal; however, he explains the no-love policy for the French.

Eiffel Tower was, uh, commemoration…it’s commemoration right? Celebration. Was a celebration of 100 years… think it was 100 years of the French Revolution. There was a memorial for the French Revolution. And if you know what was French Revolution, you’re not gonna like French Revolution my brother…they killed more than 40,000 people…most people were from the church. They destroy monarchy in the name of this Democratic Republic…Democratic Liberal Republic.

Renato Moicano on ‘Show Me The Money’ Podcast (@showmethemoneypod)

Co-hosts Matty Betss and the returning Gilbert Burns joke if he read about it to get into the pre-fight stage. But the 35-year-old says he read conservative socio-political thinker Edmund Burke’s “Critique of the French Revolution.” The first modern conservative take that started the “Pamphlet Wars” in England. It brought the vicious guillotines and systemic condemnation of the Church to attention. One 1989 Expo design for Eiffel was even to be a guillotine, to mark French Resistance!

Adopting his pro-American rhetoric, Moicano preaches pro-capitalist safeguards with economic principles from Ludwig von Mises and the six lessons of the Austrian economic school. But his scathing take on the anti-humanism and anti-property sentiment had nothing to do with Saint-Denis’ aggressive style or the fight. While the exact number is up in the air, about 16,000 people were executed during the French Revolution in July 1794 alone. Moicano had his own ideas about that.

Renato Moicano gives his take on Monarchy vs. Democracy debate

The weekend’s UFC Paris (UFC Fight Night 243) main card at ESPN+, 3 p.m. ET sees the promotion at Accor Arena in the City of Love. Before the Moicano-led event against Benoit Saint-Denis happens. the Brazilian lightweight had some choice words. Not just about Benoit Saint-Denis; who he thinks beating would open some marquee lightweight bouts in the offering. But also about the city itself, which wasn’t always the tourist attraction it is now.

Renato Moicano talks on liberal institutionalism (Source: pinterest.se/X/science.smith.edu)

France and its convoluted lifestyle are never without proper viral controversy. Look to the efforts of the super hub of inclusivity at Paris Olympics 2024 even today. But said controversy had its fair share in the history books as well. The societal unrest from Estates General of 1789, ending in the formation of the French Consulate was one, during the French Revolution.

After the Ancien Régime was unable to control the state of affairs, it sprouted the newer principles of liberal democracy. Which subsequently many today are fond of. But outspoken viral fighter Renato Moicano presents that ‘voice of people’ isn’t always that good.

Most of [the] people, …they like French Revolution. Especially liberals…Especially people from the left. And they are like ‘ah, the monarchy was bad’. So then the people took power…Of course, I am not saying the monarchy was always good…but what came after that was worse…

Renato Moicano further said on ‘Show Me The Money’ Podcast (@showmethemoneypod)

The UFC Paris star alludes to the likes of King Louis XVI and Louis XIII to justify how bad monarchy could get, globally. However, after the execution of Louis XVI in January 1793 came the Reign Of Terror. This is the time of a series of public executions in response to revolutionary fervor and alleged intrigues by the Committee of Public Safety.

Moicano, an avid reader, thus has no love for the landmark of ‘Love’ which at one time made the gruesome guillotine a household terror. When he steps onto the headlining stage for the second time this Saturday, Renato Moicano will also have his principles boosting his attire.