Just a week prior to his main event showdown with Rafael Fiziev, former lightweight champion Rafael Dos Anjos got the news that they would have to postpone the matchup due to Fiziev having visa issues. A one week push to the co-main event slot on a PPV wasn’t the worst thing, so RDA quickly accepted the switch.
But things got worse, with Fiziev testing positive for COVID-19 and being forced out of the high-profile bout entirely. That’s when RDA’s situation got even more interesting. He wanted to stay on the card, and it seemed like top lightweights were willing to throw their hat in the ring. Islam Makhachev and Tony Ferguson sounded off, clamoring for the fight, but in the end, it was the recently victorious Renato Moicano who signed on the dotted line to face RDA at UFC 272.
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Moicano is fresh off a first-round submission win over Alexander Hernandez at UFC 271 and enters the 160-pound catchweight fight on a two-fight finish streak. Meanwhile, RDA has struggled to keep a fight on the books. He’s had multiple bookings with Makhachev go south in the last year and change, with his last trip to the Octagon being a dominant win over Paul Felder, who filled in for Makhachev.
It may be a last-minute matchup, but it’s going to be a good one between these highly respected Brazilian veterans.
