It would not be wrong to say that Ilia Topuria’s aura of dominance took a major hit at UFC Freedom 250 when he got stopped by Justin Gaethje. Heading into the fight, the Spaniard had knocked out Alexander Volkanovski, Max Holloway, and Charles Oliveira in three straight fights. However, June 14 turned out to be a completely different night for Topuria.
The Spaniard took such a beating that his corner was forced to call it quits on the stool after the fourth round. Topuria suffered two broken orbital bones, a shattered septum, and a broken foot. Since then, he has slowly returned to the public eye, accused Justin Gaethje of tampering with his gloves, and even made his way back to sparring.
Now, there are rumors of Topuria either facing Gaethje in an immediate rematch or Paddy Pimblett in a massive grudge fight. However, another lightweight contender has thrown his name into the mix and believes he could be the perfect comeback opponent for Topuria.
Renato Moicano Believes Ilia Topuria’s Confidence Is Broken and He Needs an Easy Comeback Fight
Renato Moicano believes he is the ideal opponent for Topuria after the brutal loss took a lot out of the former featherweight champion physically and mentally. The Brazilian is set to face Tom Nolan at UFC Vegas 123 after his scheduled bout with Brian Ortega was canceled for a second time. Moicano also wants to call out Topuria during his post-fight interview if everything goes according to plan.
Speaking to MMA Fighting recently, Moicano said, “Ilia Topuria. That’s a name. He needs an easy fight, right? That’s the truth. We know how the UFC operates. Either they sacrifice him and Paddy Pimblett [against each other], or they’ll give him a fight to keep rolling, so the guy can get his confidence back.”
While a Pimblett fight would be a massive money-making opportunity, it would also mean the UFC risks seeing one of its two biggest stars suffer another setback. Moicano believes Topuria could instead rebuild his confidence by getting back into the win column with a knockout.
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He added, “And I think his confidence is broken. And look at how life works, man. Six months ago, I was saying this guy could possibly be one of the greatest of all time, but you’re only as good as your last fight. And he can come back. He can come back, knock out the next guy, and get back on track.”
Moicano also expects Topuria to come back even more dangerous after having time to work on the mistakes he made against Gaethje. The Brazilian knows a comeback fight against Topuria would be anything but easy.
He said, “And it would be a f**king tough fight because I think this guy is pissed off, right? He must be training like an animal. But that’s life, right? That’s life. I think that fight would make sense. I don’t know if the UFC will make it happen. I don’t even know if that’s the fight I’ll ask for.”
Moicano has already shared the cage with some of the biggest names in MMA. He famously stepped up on just one day’s notice to challenge Islam Makhachev for the lightweight title at UFC 311. While he was submitted in the first round, the Brazilian has consistently shown that he is willing to accept any challenge, regardless of the circumstances.
However, before he can start thinking about a potential Topuria showdown, the 37-year-old has to get through Tom Nolan on October 31. The Australian is riding a five-fight winning streak and currently sits at No. 11 in the lightweight division.
If Moicano gets his hand raised, a callout for Topuria could be next. It remains to be seen whether the UFC will be interested in making the matchup happen.
Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.
