Renato Moicano delivered a masterclass performance that reminded everyone why he belongs in the lightweight elite. The Brazilian strangled teammate Chris Duncan with a second-round rear-naked choke, snapping his losing streak in emphatic fashion at UFC Fight Night in Las Vegas.
Moicano Chokes Out Duncan in Dominant Display
From the opening bell, this lightweight scrap was pure domination. Moicano (21-7-1) battered Duncan on the feet before seamlessly transitioning to his back, securing the tap at 3:14 of round two. The submission marked his 11th career finish by choke—a testament to the Brazilian’s relentless grappling prowess.
What made this victory even more compelling was the backstory. Both fighters train together at American Top Team in Florida, yet business is business inside the Octagon. “All love, no disrespect,” Moicano declared post-fight. “I had to give him an opportunity at the top 10. The UFC better give me somebody who is in the rankings—I don’t want to fight any bollocks guys.”
Duncan’s Losing Streak Begins After Valiant Effort
Meanwhile, Chris Duncan showed pure class in defeat. The Scottish fighter’s four-fight winning streak came crashing to a halt, marking just the third time he’s been finished in eight professional years. “This is why this guy is in the top 10. He’s a legend,” Duncan graciously admitted.
This triumph couldn’t have come at a better time for Moicano, who was reeling from consecutive defeats to Islam Makhachev and Beneil Dariush. The Brazilian proved he’s still a force at 155 pounds and deserves another crack at elite competition.
Jandiroba Dominates Co-Main Event
Furthermore, the co-main delivered fireworks as former title challenger Virna Jandiroba (23-4) steamrolled Tabatha Ricci (12-4) across three brutal rounds. After falling short against Mackenzie Dern for vacant gold in October, Jandiroba bounced back with her trademark physical approach, earning unanimous scorecards of 30-27, 29-28, and 29-28.
The Brazilian controlled proceedings with six successful takedowns from twelve attempts, racking up eight minutes of ground control. This performance firmly plants her back in strawweight title contention.
