Renato Moicano has voiced frustration over how Arman Tsarukyan’s withdrawal from his Islam Makhachev title fight at UFC 311 has created cascading disruption throughout the lightweight division. The Brazilian fighter, who stepped in on 24-hour notice to challenge Makhachev, expressed concern that Tsarukyan’s back injury, suffered during weight-cutting preparations on the eve of the bout in January 2025, set off a chain of events that has left the 155-pound division in an unsettled state.
Renato Moicano Blames Tsarukyan for Lightweight Collapse
During an interview with “Standemup” Emiel Sardarean, Moicano stated he did not believe the current direction served the division fairly. “I don’t feel that is fair. Who did he beat in the division? When I fought Makhachev, Arman was supposed to fight for the title and he f**ked up the division. If Arman fought that night, the division would keep going, but now we have Topuria going through a divorce, he doesn’t want to fight. They have Gaethje vs Pimblett – for me, this is going to be a paper champ. It doesn’t make any sense to do an interim belt because Topuria would be the champ anyways.”
Following the UFC 311 event, the lightweight division entered a period of transition. Makhachev ultimately vacated the title to pursue the welterweight championship, facing Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322 in November 2025. This opened the path for Ilia Topuria, who had moved up from featherweight, to compete for the vacant title against Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 in June 2025. Topuria claimed that title with a first-round knockout, becoming the tenth fighter in UFC history to hold titles across 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 lightweight 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 lightweight contender who had defeated Dan Hooker in November 2025, expected to receive the interim title opportunity. Instead, the UFC selected Gaethje, ranked fourth with one victory since his loss to Max Holloway, and Pimblett, ranked fifth without wins over top-ten opponents.
Tsarukyan stated his surprise at being bypassed, though he remained composed. “Nothing changes. We will take what belongs to us. Everything in its own time. Patience and hard work will pay off,” he wrote on social media.
Had Tsarukyan competed against Makhachev at UFC 311, the division would have proceeded with a clear champion and challenger dynamic. Instead, the injury triggered a series 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 adds to an ongoing conversation about how the UFC manages its most stacked weight class during periods of champion unavailability.