Fight history
Makhachev vs. Moicano, UFC 311: The One-Day-Notice Title Fight and the Stats
Moicano stepped in a day out, landed more significant strikes than the champion and saw him hit the canvas. One takedown later, Makhachev had a UFC lightweight record.
Makhachev
MoicanoAt a glance
- ResultMakhachev by submission (D'Arce choke), round 1, 4:05; referee Herb Dean
- The noticeMoicano replaced Arman Tsarukyan the day before; he had been booked against Beneil Dariush on the same card
- The statsSignificant strikes 9-6 to Moicano; Makhachev 1 takedown from 2 attempts and 1:27 of control
- The judgesNo round was completed, so no scorecard exists
- The recordMakhachev's fourth straight lightweight title defense, the first in UFC history
- Our cardMoicano slightly ahead standing; Makhachev by submission
What was at stake
The lightweight title, and a record. Islam Makhachev had won the title against Charles Oliveira at UFC 280 in October 2022, as Sherdog's play-by-play and the official record show, and had defended it three times, twice against Alexander Volkanovski and once against Dustin Poirier, as CBS Sports and Sherdog both note. A fourth defense would make him the first UFC lightweight champion to defend the title four times in a row, as theScore noted before the fight. He came in 26-1 and on a 14-fight winning streak, according to MMA Junkie and Sherdog.
His opponent was supposed to be Arman Tsarukyan, whom he had beaten by unanimous decision in April 2019, as theScore and the official record show. Tsarukyan told the UFC early on the Friday, the day before the fight, that a back injury would keep him out: around 1 a.m. local time, according to CBS Sports, and with "significant back pain", in the words of theScore and the AP. Dana White announced the change later that day. "This was the hardest decision I've ever had to make in my fighting career," Tsarukyan wrote on Instagram, as CBS Sports, theScore and LowKick MMA all report.
The replacement was already on the card. Renato Moicano had been booked against Beneil Dariush and had weighed in at 155 pounds, so he was eligible to fight for the belt, MMA Junkie reports; Sherdog's play-by-play also lists him at 155. He was 35, according to CBS Sports and the AP, 20-5-1, according to MMA Junkie and Sherdog, and ranked 10th, according to the AP and LowKick MMA. He was also on a four-fight winning streak that included stoppages of Benoit Saint Denis, Jalin Turner and Brad Riddell, as CBS Sports and the official record show. It was his first UFC title fight, in his 18th UFC appearance. Dariush was left without an opponent and came off the card, CBS Sports, theScore and LowKick MMA report.
Makhachev answered on social media. "What does this title represent?," he wrote, as MMA Junkie printed it. "It means you are the best in the world and if you are the best in the world, it doesn't matter who's going to be standing across from you. What do I say? No? NEVER. Let's do this!" theScore carries the same post. The betting agreed with him: CBS Sports had him at -1200, Sherdog's listing at -1000.
Watch the fight
The UFC has put the whole fight on its official YouTube channel. Tap to play it here.
The official result and the judges
| Winner | Method | Round | Time | Referee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Islam Makhachev | Submission (D'Arce choke) | 1 of 5 | 4:05 | Herb Dean |
The official statistics, CBS Sports, the AP and Cageside Press all call the hold a D'Arce choke; Sherdog records it as a brabo choke. The official statistics and Sherdog both name Herb Dean as the referee.
There are no judges' cards to print. The fight ended 55 seconds before the end of the first round, so no round was ever scored, and no outlet reports a score for it. That changes the usual question. Nobody disputes who won; the interesting part is how the fight was going before Makhachev got his takedown, and the official numbers answer that better than any card could.
Round by round
Round 1 - Makhachev by submission at 4:05
The fight started slowly, as CBS Sports and POST Wrestling both describe, with each man feeling out an opponent he had not prepared for. Moicano was the one coming forward. Sherdog's play-by-play has him advancing quickly and kicking low and high, and Cageside Press has him landing "a few leg kicks and straight punches". The official count credits him with four leg kicks from four thrown.
Then came Moicano's best moment, and the reports do not agree on what it was. As he pressed with punches, Makhachev went down. CBS Sports calls it "the result of a slip, not a knockdown". Sherdog's play-by-play says Makhachev was clipped by a right hand as he ducked and, "whether by being off-balance or from a clean connect", hit his seat. Cageside Press writes that Moicano "slightly stumbled" him. The official count records no knockdown.
Not long after, Makhachev shot for a takedown. The official count has two attempts and one completed, and Sherdog's play-by-play agrees that his second effort put Moicano on his back; Uncrowned writes that his first attempt worked, but we go with the official count. It came about halfway through the round, according to Sherdog and POST Wrestling, and Makhachev settled into half guard, which Sherdog and Cageside Press both describe.
Moicano did what he was supposed to do from there. He kicked Makhachev off him to start a scramble, which Sherdog and Cageside Press both report. As he tried to get back to his feet, Makhachev "snaked an arm under the chin", in CBS Sports' words, and locked in the choke; Sherdog's play-by-play describes the same sequence, with Moicano sitting up into it. Moicano tapped at 4:05.
On the official numbers, Moicano landed 9 of 27 significant strikes to Makhachev's 6 of 19, and every one of his came at distance: 4 to the legs, 3 to the body and 2 to the head. Total strikes were level at 18 each. Makhachev had 1:27 of control, one takedown from two attempts and one submission attempt, the one that finished the fight.
What the numbers say
The official statistics for the 4:05 (landed/thrown for strikes, landed/attempted for takedowns):
| Fighter | KD | Sig. strikes | Head | Body | Legs | Distance | Ground | Total | TD | Sub. att. | Control |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Makhachev | 0 | 6/19 | 5/17 | 1/2 | 0/0 | 5/18 | 1/1 | 18/31 | 1/2 | 1 | 1:27 |
| Moicano | 0 | 9/27 | 2/18 | 3/5 | 4/4 | 9/27 | 0/0 | 18/37 | 0/0 | 0 | 0:00 |
Split the fight where it turned, and the standing part belonged to Moicano. All nine of his significant strikes and five of Makhachev's six landed at distance, so on the feet Moicano led 9 to 5. He landed every leg kick he threw and three of five to the body, and Makhachev threw no leg kicks at all. Moicano was also the busier man, 27 significant strikes thrown to 19.
The numbers also show the limit of that edge. Moicano landed only 2 of his 18 significant-strike attempts to the head, and the moment Makhachev went down does not count as a knockdown. His lead was four strikes, built in the first half of the round, before Makhachev took him down.
Makhachev's side of the table is small because the fight did not last. He needed one completed takedown, 1:27 of control and a single submission attempt. Of his 18 strikes, 12 were not significant. Uncrowned describes him softening Moicano up with punches on the floor, while Sherdog's play-by-play says he smothered more than he struck. What the totals cannot show is how quickly one position changed the fight: once Moicano was down, he never made it back to his feet, as CBS Sports and Sherdog both describe.
How we scored it
| Part of round 1 | MMA.SOCIAL | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Standing | Moicano, narrowly | 9-5 in significant strikes at distance, four leg kicks from four, and the moment Makhachev went to the canvas. Not a knockdown, but the best moment either man had on the feet. |
| On the ground | Makhachev | One takedown, 1:27 of control in half guard and the D'Arce choke out of Moicano's scramble. |
| Result | Makhachev by submission, 4:05 | No round was completed, so there is no score to give. |
There is no card to argue with here, because no judge ever wrote one. Had the round been stopped at the moment of the takedown, we would have given it to Moicano: he was busier, he landed more and he had the round's best moment. Had it gone to the horn the way it was going, it would have been Makhachev's: a takedown, control from top position and a fight-ending submission outweigh a four-strike lead on the feet under the scoring criteria.
That is the fair way to remember this fight. Moicano, on a day's notice and in his first title fight, was competitive for half a round and made the champion react. Makhachev found the one opening he needed. He said afterwards that if an opponent gives him "a small chance", he will finish it, as CBS Sports and POST Wrestling both report. Moicano gave him one.
What happened next
"I told you guys, I'm not just talk," Makhachev said, as CBS Sports and Uncrowned both report. Asked who was next, he told anyone who wanted the title to come and take it: "I like this belt," he said, according to the AP and CBS Sports. "If somebody wants this belt, come to the cage." Moicano was gracious in defeat. "Islam was much better than I today," he said, as MMA Junkie and Uncrowned both report, and added, according to MMA Junkie and CBS Sports: "I'm not done." MMA Junkie prints the rest as: "I don't know if I will ever get a chance like that again, but I will try my best to do it."
The win took Makhachev to 27-1, Sherdog and the AP report, and Moicano to 20-6-1. It was Makhachev's 15th win in a row, one short of Anderson Silva's UFC record, which Sherdog and ESPN both note, and his fifth win in a lightweight title fight, the most in UFC history according to ESPN and the AP. He passed BJ Penn and his coach Khabib Nurmagomedov, among others, Sherdog and ESPN observe.
It was also his last fight at lightweight. In May 2025 he vacated the title to move up to welterweight, Al Jazeera and CBS Sports report, and at UFC 322 on November 15, 2025, he beat Jack Della Maddalena 50-45 on all three cards to become a two-division champion, according to Cageside Press and the official record. At UFC 330 on August 15, 2026, he defended the welterweight title against Ian Machado Garry, 49-46, 49-46 and 48-47, according to Al Jazeera, Cageside Press and the official record. That was his 17th straight UFC win, passing Silva's record of 16, as Al Jazeera and ESPN both report. He is 29-1.
Moicano got his fight with Dariush back at UFC 317 on June 28, 2025. He knocked Dariush down late in the first round, which Cageside Press and the official count both record, but lost a unanimous decision, 29-28 on all three cards. On April 4, 2026, he headlined a UFC Fight Night and submitted Chris Duncan with a rear-naked choke at 3:14 of the second round, ending a two-fight losing run, according to theScore, Field Level Media and the official record.
A rematch with Brian Ortega, who beat him in 2017, was set for UFC 331 on September 19, 2026, until Ortega withdrew injured, as Heavy and EssentiallySports both report; EssentiallySports says it was a cut above his eye. The UFC moved Moicano to UFC Fight Night: Moicano vs. Nolan on October 31, 2026, where, at 21-7-1, he headlines against Tom Nolan.
The verdict
Makhachev vs. Moicano is not a disputed result, and it was more competitive than its length suggests. Moicano took a title fight on a day's notice, out-landed the champion 9 to 6 in significant strikes and saw him go to the canvas, though the official count records no knockdown. Then Makhachev landed one takedown and found the choke the moment Moicano tried to stand. The champion deserves the credit for a record fourth straight defense against an opponent he had not prepared for, and Moicano deserves it for saying yes at all. On October 31, 2026, he gets another main event.
Full fight stats: Makhachev vs. Moicano. The rest of the night: UFC 311. More: the most title fights in UFC history.
Sources
- UFCStats round-by-round statistics (scrape_ufc_stats mirror)
- UFCStats fight results, method and referee (scrape_ufc_stats mirror)
- ESPN - UFC 311 takeaways: Makhachev and Dvalishvili kings of their divisions
- Sherdog - Makhachev retains lightweight title, throttles Moicano atop UFC 311
- Sherdog - UFC 311 play-by-play, results and round scoring
- Sherdog - UFC 311 event results
- MMA Junkie via Yahoo Sports - Makhachev unbothered by UFC 311 opponent change
- MMA Junkie via Yahoo Sports - Moicano reacts to UFC 311 title loss
- Uncrowned (Yahoo Sports) - Makhachev makes history with title defense over Moicano
- CBS Sports - UFC 311 results: Makhachev quickly submits Moicano
- CBS Sports - Makhachev to defend against Moicano after Tsarukyan injury
- theScore - Moicano replaces Tsarukyan in UFC 311 main event
- LowKick MMA - Tsarukyan issues statement following UFC 311 withdrawal
- Associated Press via WSLS - Makhachev submits late-replacement Moicano in 1st round
- Cageside Press - Makhachev forces quick tap from Moicano
- POST Wrestling - UFC 311 results: Makhachev taps Moicano early
- Al Jazeera - Makhachev vacates title; Topuria-Oliveira at UFC 317
- CBS Sports - Makhachev and Topuria trade barbs over the vacated title
- Cageside Press - UFC 322: Makhachev captures second title
- Al Jazeera (Reuters) - UFC 330: Makhachev secures record-setting win
- ESPN - UFC 330 results and analysis
- Cageside Press - UFC 330: Makhachev takes decision over Machado Garry
- Cageside Press - Dariush beats Moicano at UFC 317
- theScore - Moicano rebounds with submission of Duncan
- Field Level Media - Moicano snaps losing streak with submission victory
- Heavy - UFC 331 loses main card fight, Moicano books headliner
- EssentiallySports - Moicano reveals new opponent after Ortega pullout
Questions
Who won Makhachev vs. Moicano?
Islam Makhachev, by submission with a D'Arce choke at 4:05 of the first round at UFC 311 on January 18, 2025. It was his fourth straight defense of the UFC lightweight title.
Why did Renato Moicano fight Islam Makhachev at UFC 311?
Arman Tsarukyan withdrew from the title fight the day before with a back injury. Moicano, already on weight for his fight with Beneil Dariush on the same card, took Tsarukyan's place on one day's notice.
Did Moicano knock down Makhachev?
Not officially. Makhachev went to the canvas during a Moicano flurry, but the official statistics record no knockdown. CBS Sports called it a slip, and Sherdog said it was unclear whether a right hand or lost balance put him down.
What were the Makhachev vs. Moicano stats?
Moicano landed 9 of 27 significant strikes and Makhachev 6 of 19, with total strikes level at 18. Makhachev completed 1 of 2 takedowns, had 1:27 of control and finished the fight with his only submission attempt.
What were the Makhachev vs. Moicano scorecards?
There were none. The fight ended at 4:05 of the first round, so no round was completed and no judge turned in a score.
Who is Renato Moicano fighting next?
Tom Nolan, in the main event of UFC Fight Night: Moicano vs. Nolan on October 31, 2026. Moicano was moved to that card after Brian Ortega withdrew injured from their rematch at UFC 331.
