UFC rankings have always been a topic of discussion in the MMA community. The inconsistency around the rankings has often been called out by fans as well as fighters. Recently, rising lightweight Renato Moicano showed his disappointment after his UFC Paris victory. This outrage led to Dana White getting involved in the discussion.ย
Moicano was dissatisfied with his current UFC rankings after his impressive TKO victory at UFC Paris. The Brazilian star defeated the No. 12-ranked Benoit Saint-Denis but did not rise from the #11 position. UFC CEO Dana White, in a recent interview, seconded Moicanoโs concerns over rankings. White then talked about making much-needed changes to avoid such mishaps in the future.ย
White then ripped the โbumsโ who made the rankings and promised to move them out of the picture and bring AI for consistency. Whiteโs issue with the rankings stems from his opinion about the heavyweight champion Jon Jones. According to White, despite his inactivity, Jones deserves the pound-for-pound number-one spot over Islam Makhachev and Alex Pereira.ย
๐จ Dana White tells Renato Moicano that they will replace MMA reporters with AI to make the UFC rankings.
“Donโt worry about this Moicano, AI is gonna fix the rankingsโ
๐ฅ @danawhite pic.twitter.com/wFBdsqseb3โ Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) October 1, 2024
The UFC boss has repeatedly argued with the media over this subject, which has attracted criticism. The idea of an AI solution replacing the media panel is not new, and White has already hinted at it. While many thought it was unrealistic at the time, it would not be strange if White implemented the adjustments soon. With the new changes, at least Moicano would be happy with his rankings.
Dana White discusses whatโs next for Renato Moicanoย
Renato Moicanoโs last fight definitely brought a lot of attention to the fighter. Moicano not only outclassed the homegrown hero but gave a rather wild speech in front of the French crowd. After the fight, he called some big names, such as Dan Hooker and Paddy Pimblett, for a future fight.
Moicano was severely injured during the bout and had his collarbone dislocated. However, he decided to fight without giving up. In a recent interview, White was asked about Moicanoโs future. In response, the CEO said they would consider Moicano after some time and asked the fighter to focus on recovery first.
Dana White won’t talk about Renato Moicano’s next fight for a bit.
“You saw what happened to him, right? It’s going to be a minute before he’s even discussed.” pic.twitter.com/drnxL7mHJZ
โ MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) October 2, 2024
White was impressed by Moicanoโs tenacity during the bout and is aware of his potential. Moicano is an interesting character that has quickly gained popularity among fans. The Brazilian fighter even targeted Conor McGregor for a possible fight. Moicano is financially motivated and will fight Khabib Nurmagomedov if required. As such, the future is exciting for the Brazilian star.