Moicano Blasts Ortega vs. Hooker as 'Worst Fight in UFC'

Renato Moicano says the UFC made a mistake booking Brian Ortega against Dan Hooker, calling it the worst fight the promotion could have made. Moicano has spent months campaigning for a fight with Hooker and has twice seen a rematch with Ortega fall apart, and he does not understand why the two ended up paired against each other instead.

"This is gonna be the worst fight in the UFC," Moicano said on Full Send MMA. "Brian Ortega vs. Dan Hooker, that's f*cked up. I don't know how the UFC made that fight. But let's see, let's wait and see how they do."

Why Moicano Has a Beef With Both Fighters

Moicano's frustration comes from unfinished business with both men. Moicano, who has called out Hooker and twice had a rematch with Ortega canceled, labeled their upcoming matchup "the worst fight in the UFC." The first Ortega rematch fell through when Ortega withdrew from their scheduled rematch at UFC 326 because of lingering injuries, and the makeup bout was rebooked for UFC 331 in September, but Ortega withdrew again after suffering a severe cut above his eye. Ortega already has one win over Moicano on his resume, having submitted the Brazilian with a third-round guillotine choke in their featherweight bout in 2017, which only sharpens Moicano's interest in running it back.

Ortega and Hooker are now locked in for UFC Qatar on November 21 at ABHA Arena in Doha, with "T-City" set to make his UFC lightweight debut against Hooker. Moicano made clear he is not ruling out either man down the line, but for now his attention is on his own main event against Tom Nolan at UFC Vegas 123 this Saturday.

What It Means for the Betting Markets

Hooker enters this fight needing a result badly. He has dropped three straight bouts and is making the jump into a litmus-test matchup against an Ortega who is himself moving up from featherweight for the first time in his UFC run. That combination, a slumping veteran against a newcomer to 155 pounds with a long injury history, is exactly the kind of matchup that creates uncertainty for oddsmakers and should produce a tighter number than either man's recent form alone would suggest. Moicano's public needling only adds juice to however this one plays out, since a statement win by either fighter sets up a natural follow-up fight that bettors will want to track closely once it is actually booked.

Frequently Asked Questions

What did Renato Moicano say about Brian Ortega vs. Dan Hooker?

Renato Moicano called the UFC Qatar matchup between Brian Ortega and Dan Hooker the worst fight the UFC could have made, saying he does not understand how the promotion put the fight together.

When do Brian Ortega and Dan Hooker fight?

Brian Ortega faces Dan Hooker at UFC Qatar on November 21 at ABHA Arena in Doha, marking Ortega's move up to lightweight.

Why is Renato Moicano frustrated with Brian Ortega and Dan Hooker?

Moicano has repeatedly called out Dan Hooker for a fight and had two scheduled rematches with Brian Ortega fall through due to injuries, so he feels overlooked by the new pairing.