Renato Moicano Backs Justin Gaethje vs. Alexander Volkanovski Matchup
Renato Moicano believes Arman Tsarukyan is poised to become the next lightweight champion, but he would prefer to see Justin Gaethje fight Alexander Volkanovski.
· VILLAND PICK editorial
UFC lightweight contender Renato Moicano believes reigning division champion Justin Gaethje should jump at the opportunity to fight Alexander Volkanovski next. Speaking to MMA Fighting ahead of his UFC Vegas 123 headliner against Tom Nolan at the Meta APEX, Moicano shared his thoughts on the championship landscape at 155 pounds.
Gaethje claimed the undisputed title in June with an upset victory over Ilia Topuria at UFC White House. Should Gaethje defend his belt against top contender Arman Tsarukyan, Moicano expects a difficult matchup for the champion. Tsarukyan has compiled three consecutive victories—including wins over Charles Oliveira, Dan Hooker, and Mauricio Ruffy—since withdrawing from his scheduled UFC 311 bout in January 2025, where Moicano stepped in on one day's notice against Islam Makhachev. Moicano praised Tsarukyan's striking, wrestling, and fight IQ, calling him the division's next champion.
Despite recognizing Tsarukyan's status, Moicano expressed enthusiasm for a potential clash between Gaethje and Volkanovski. Following a second-round knockout of Movsar Evloev at UFC 333, Volkanovski proposed a double-retirement bout against Gaethje in which both fighters would vacate their titles. Moicano endorsed the concept, stating that he personally likes the matchup and the historical significance behind promoting such a fight.
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