Renato Moicano has voiced frustration over how Arman Tsarukyan’s withdrawal from his Islam Makhachev title struggle at UFC 311 has created cascading disruption all through the light-weight division. The Brazilian fighter, who stepped in on 24-hour discover to problem Makhachev, expressed concern that Tsarukyan’s again harm, suffered throughout weight-cutting preparations on the eve of the bout in January 2025, set off a series of occasions that has left the 155-pound division in an unsettled state.
Renato Moicano Blames Tsarukyan for Light-weight Collapse
Throughout an interview with “Standemup” Emiel Sardarean, Moicano acknowledged he didn’t consider the present course served the division pretty. “I don’t really feel that’s truthful. Who did he beat within the division? After I fought Makhachev, Arman was presupposed to struggle for the title and he f**ked up the division. If Arman fought that evening, the division would preserve going, however now we have now Topuria going via a divorce, he doesn’t need to struggle. They’ve Gaethje vs Pimblett – for me, that is going to be a paper champ. It doesn’t make any sense to do an interim belt as a result of Topuria can be the champ in any case.”
Following the UFC 311 occasion, the light-weight division entered a interval of transition. Makhachev finally vacated the title to pursue the welterweight championship, dealing with Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322 in November 2025. This opened the trail for Ilia Topuria, who had moved up from featherweight, to compete for the vacant title in opposition to Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 in June 2025. Topuria claimed that title with a first-round knockout, changing into the tenth fighter in UFC historical past to carry titles throughout two divisions.
However, Topuria announced in late November 2025 that he would not compete during the first quarter of 2026 due to personal matters involving his children and an ongoing divorce. To prevent the division from stalling, the UFC scheduled an interim light-weight title bout between Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett for UFC 324 on January 24, 2026, in Las Vegas.
The decision to create an interim title sparked considerable debate. Arman Tsarukyan, the top-ranked light-weight contender who had defeated Dan Hooker in November 2025, anticipated to obtain the interim title alternative. As an alternative, the UFC chosen Gaethje, ranked fourth with one victory since his loss to Max Holloway, and Pimblett, ranked fifth with out wins over top-ten opponents.
Tsarukyan acknowledged his shock at being bypassed, although he remained composed. “Nothing modifications. We are going to take what belongs to us. Every thing in its personal time. Persistence and exhausting work will repay,” he wrote on social media.
Had Tsarukyan competed in opposition to Makhachev at UFC 311, the division would have proceeded with a transparent champion and challenger dynamic. As an alternative, the harm triggered a sequence of title vacancies, promotional shifts, and interim belt creation that left the division in what Moicano characterizes as an unjust state. The 35-year-old Brazilian’s perspective on the interim title’s legitimacy provides to an ongoing dialog about how the UFC manages its most stacked weight class in periods of champion unavailability.
