Renato Moicano Plans to End UFC Career Following Halloween Defeat

Renato Moicano seems surprisingly calm despite a questionable referee decision that cost him his headline fight against Tom Nolan at UFC Halloween. This calm may stem from Moicano’s plans to step away from mixed martial arts (MMA) once his current contract ends.

The bout took place this past weekend in Las Vegas, Nevada, with Moicano, a grappler, facing off against striker Nolan. Early in the fight, Moicano used his ground skills effectively, controlling the action and securing an early lead.

However, in the second round, the referee unexpectedly stood the fighters up while Moicano was in a dominant position on Nolan’s back. Although Moicano was not landing significant strikes at the moment, he was close to locking in a submission. This rare standup call has sparked debate, especially since Moicano was knocked out in the following round.

Despite the controversial stoppage and subsequent loss, Moicano expressed acceptance of the result. His perspective might be influenced by his intention to leave MMA after fulfilling his remaining fights under his UFC contract.

Moicano Eyes Boxing Career Beyond UFC

"To be completely honest with you, I want to finish my contract, and once I finish my contract, I don't want to fight MMA anymore," Moicano told Ariel Helwani in an interview on Monday.

"I want to do boxing, like influencer boxing. I want to beat up people that don’t know how to fight."

"I don’t wanna be like Tony Ferguson. Eight fights, trying to be a champion, 40 years old, on a six-fight losing streak. I don’t want that."

"I’m happy. Sometimes you have to realize when you’re done. You have to realize how much gas you have left in the tank, how much love for the sport you have. For me, it’s these three more fights."

"I think after these 3 I’m done because [the UFC] is not gonna pay me enough."

Moicano appears ready to shift focus toward boxing, looking for new challenges outside the UFC octagon after his final bouts.