Renato Moicano thinks Muhammad Mokaev would have created extra buzz than Steve Erceg as a UFC title challenger.
Regardless of Mokaev having extra expertise within the octagon, flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja (27-5 MMA, 11-3 UFC) wound up drawing Erceg (12-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) in Saturday’s UFC 301 (Pay-per-view/ESPN/ESPN+) headliner at Rio Enviornment in Rio de Janeiro.
Moicano, who’s good pals and American High Workforce teammates with Pantoja, thinks Erceg isn’t a sufficiently big title to attract viewers in after being within the UFC for under a yr.
“I’m a buddy with Pantoja,” Moicano mentioned on the “MIGHTYcast” podcast with Demetrious Johnson. “He’s my boy. I like him rather a lot. Arduous employee, devoted man, all the time within the fitness center, however I didn’t like this struggle in any respect. This man (Erceg), he’s harmful however solely three fights within the UFC. No person is aware of who he’s. He’s not going to promote any pay-per-views. I believe Pantoja needed unhealthy to struggle in Brazil as a result of it’s his house, proper?
“However I don’t suppose it was very good within the enterprise facet. Folks don’t notice how it is a enterprise, proper? We have to create a narrative behind the fights. Like Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington, they obtained greater due to the meat. UFC profited off that, they profited off that. When you see Pantoja preventing one other man that no one is aware of, I don’t suppose it’s good for the present. In my guide, Pantoja is healthier than him in every single place.”
Erceg and Mokaev (11-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) each most just lately fought at UFC Struggle Evening 238 in March. Erceg knocked out Matt Schnell, and Mokaev outgrappled former title challenger Alex Perez. Though Erceg had the extra thrilling efficiency, Moicano thinks Mokaev vs. Pantoja is an even bigger struggle.
“I’m not likely excited to look at the struggle,” Moicano mentioned. “I wish to watch Pantoja towards Mokaev. I do know lots of people give trash to Mokaev as a result of he had a tricky struggle towards Perez, however I believe he would promote the struggle extra.”
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