Michael Bisping warns Renato Moicano of Benoit Saint Denis’ aggressive style.
Moicano (19-5-1 MMA, 11-5 UFC) takes on Saint Denis (13-2 MMA, 5-2 UFC) in Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 243 (ESPN+) main event at Accor Arena in Paris.
Prior to getting knocked out by Dustin Poirier at UFC 299 in March, Saint Denis was on a tear in the lightweight division, finishing five straight opponents. With the French crowd behind him, Bisping expects Saint Denis to come out with a vengeance against Moicano.
“Every time they’ve been to Paris, the crowd has been phenomenal,” Bisping told TNT Sports. “The fights have been great, but I’m telling you: The atmosphere has been electric. This will be no different because in the main event, it’s the French Special Forces, the ridiculously violent and aggressive Benoit Saint Denis. The man that almost, almost decapitated and finished Dustin Poirier on a number of occasions, but then he got tired and then he got finished. But guess what? A star was born because if you almost do that to Dustin Poirier, there’s still a lot of positives to go at.
“In steps the opponent, Renato ‘Money’ Moicano, a man that is also slowly doing his own thing, becoming a star in the lightweight division, as well, which isn’t an easy thing to do because it is so stacked. Benoit Saint Denis is going to be extra violent because he’s in Paris, he’s going to have that crazy crowd going absolutely mental. Renato Moicano, even though he’s really good, and he’s really skilled, and he’s got great jiu-jitsu, and he’s very confident, and he’s good with the fists, has got no idea what he is stepping into. He’s flying into enemy territory, and I’m telling you I cannot wait for this.”
According to DraftKings, Saint Denis is a -270 favorite over Moicano, who’s a +220 underdog. Moicano has won five of his past six, most recently a come-from-behind TKO of Jalin Turner at UFC 300 in April.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 243.
