Renato Moicano put on a show last weekend at UFC Paris and picked up a dominant victory. He destroyed Benoit Saint-Denis on his home turf and instantly became a fan favorite. However, his incredible performance didn’t result in him moving up in the overall divisional rankings. This has created quite a controversy, with Khabib Nurmagomedov‘s corner manager, Ali Abdelaziz, getting involved in it.
Other than owning one of the biggest MMA management firms, Abdelaziz is well known for participating in MMA controversies. He has frequently been accused of tweeting on behalf of his fighters in order to get fans’ attention. However, this time, the member of Team Khabib stands for Moicano, whom he doesn’t know personally.
I don’t really know Moicano and I don’t know him, I have no interest in his career but those people who ranked him at 11 they should not be allowed to even watch MMA on TV.
Ali Abdelaziz via X
After his performance at UFC Paris, Moicano expected a boost in his lightweight rankings. However, the panel didn’t give a single boost. This frustrated the lightweight fighter, who took to social media to share his annoyance with the current ranking system. Dana White also got to know about Moicano’s plea and suggested a potential AI system to replace the media panel.
I don’t really know Moicano and I don’t know him, I have no interest in his career but those people who ranked him at 11 they should not be allowed to even watch MMA on TV
— Ali Abdelaziz (@AliAbdelaziz00) October 2, 2024
At UFC Paris, Moicano suffered a gruesome injury and dislocated his collarbone but didn’t pull out from the fight. He also caught a lot of attention with his octagon interview, in which he called out the French government. On top of that, the Brazilian called out some top names such as Dan Hooker and Paddy Pimblett.
Renato Moicano rips the current lightweight UFC rankings
Renato Moicano has extended his winning streak to four with his win at UFC Paris. The Brazilian fighter is undefeated in his last four bouts and is eager to fight the top fighters. However, his rankings aren’t helping him. In a recent X rant, Moicano mocked the whole system as well as the fighters who are above him.
According to Moicano, he currently deserves the #6 position in the lightweight rankings. The position is taken by Michael Chandler, who Moicano doesn’t think of as a deserving candidate with his last few losses. The Brazilian fighter also mocked the likes of Beneil Dariush, Rafael Fiziev, etc.
If UFC Rankings Aren’t Total Bullshit, I Should Be Ranked #6 in the Lightweight Division Tomorrow. Why? In the last 8 months, I’ve fought 3 times and I’m on a 6-fight win streak in the lightweight division, with 5 stoppages. Yet, ranked above me are:
— Renato Moicano UFC (@moicanoufc) October 1, 2024
#6 Michael Chandler: If anyone doesn’t deserve this spot, it’s Michael Chandler. He’s 2-3 in the UFC, coming off a loss to Dustin Poirier in November 2022. Since then, he’s been sitting out, waiting for Conor McGregor’s return, and only now decided to fight Charles Oliveira.
— Renato Moicano UFC (@moicanoufc) October 1, 2024
Even Max Holloway’s ranking in the lightweight division doesn’t feel right after UFC 300. He knocked out Justin Gaethje, who is in the top 5 but currently ranks outside of the top 5. Going to other divisions, Stipe Miocic is still ranked in the heavyweight division despite not competing for three years. Despite not competing in that same period, Conor McGregor does not have a ranking.
