What happened in this episode?
Ariel Helwani speaks with UFC lightweight Renato Moicano after Moicano’s scheduled UFC 331 fight with Brian Ortega fell through due to Ortega suffering a cut in the final week. Moicano describes learning on Friday via a call from UFC executive Hunter Campbell and says he opted not to take a short-notice replacement for the same weekend, instead accepting a new main-event booking against Tom Nolan for 31 October. Moicano argues that, given his age and the stylistic difference between Ortega and Nolan, he needed time to adjust his camp rather than fight immediately.
Moicano also criticises Ortega’s situation and mindset, saying he believed Ortega was “not in a good place mentally” and suggesting the timing of the injury could indicate Ortega trained too hard too late, while denying he was accusing Ortega of intentionally pulling out. He says Campbell floated rebooking Ortega in November but he declined, citing Ortega’s previous withdrawals and his own family and work commitments.
Away from match-making, Moicano discusses his Portuguese-language YouTube growth and briefly explains he is simultaneously livestreaming Brazilian Supreme Court proceedings about a judge facing potential impeachment. Later, he says he previously criticised the UFC Apex partly because “it makes view”, and addresses pushback over referencing aspects of Ortega’s past, calling it “a mistake” and saying he regretted it.
