At the end of last week, UFC 326 added several big time matchups to the card and one of the matchups features a former featherweight title challenger moving up to lightweight. It was announced that “T-City” Brian Ortega (16-5) would be moving up to 155 where he’ll take on 10th ranked contender Renato Moicano (20-7-1).
Starting with Ortega, this move to lightweight has been years in the making. In fact, Ortega said he wanted to move up to 155 after he defeated Yair Rodriguez in February 2024. However, he ultimately fought Diego Lopes at the 2024 Noche UFC card and he lost a decision.
He then took a featherweight matchup against Aljamain Sterling in China back in August and he looked awful at weigh-ins. Ortega had significant issues trying to make the weight and the fight was ultimately moved to a catchweight. Ortega shouldn’t have even fought and he lost a decision. Now, he’ll finally get the opportunity to fight at 155.
Renato Moicano had an incredible 2024. He started the year by defeating Drew Dober and then he stopped Jalin Turner. If that wasn’t enough, he stopped Benoit Saint-Denis in Paris to finish his year. Having won four fights in a row, he was chosen to replace Arman Tsarukyan on one-day’s notice to face Islam Makhachev for the UFC lightweight title.
Of course, Moicano was submitted in the first round. He returned back in June where he lost a decision to Beneil Dariush and he just didn’t look great in that fight. Both of these men really need this win in March.
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