Rafael dos Anjos needed someone to step in and replace Rafael Fiziev at UFC 272. That man ended up being Renato Moicano. The fight is set for five rounds and will be taking place at a catchweight of 160 pounds. The two Brazilians bring a very fun style that should culminate in a great fight. There will be questions about dos Anjos' big layoff and what he still has in the tank. Moicano had no training camp for this fight and was simply staying ready. The five rounds will also make this affair very interesting as it could lead to more chances of a finish. The two Brazilians are expected to be a big boost to a pay-per-view that desperately needs it.
Rafael dos Anjos is a former lightweight champion that has a well-rounded, pressure-based game. He moves back down from welterweight after losing to some of the elites in the weight class. His last fight came back in 2020 against Paul Felder. He won the fight in his first bout back at lightweight. Dos Anjos is very well-rounded with a great wrestling game, solid jiu-jitsu, and really good kickboxing. Dos Anjos has had trouble with big wrestlers and that was a big issue at 170. His game appears well suited for lightweight and not cutting the extra five pounds should help.
Renato Moicano is stepping up on short notice after a successful fight at UFC 271. Moicano has been getting back on track at lightweight. He's well-rounded but has shown some issues in the striking recently. His last performance against Alex Hernandez was excellent and showcased his striking and underrated submission skills. There are plenty of questions in this fight and it mostly stems from the short notice. How his weight cut went and if the lack of training camp will play a factor. Rafael dos Anjos is a very difficult fight to take last minute and Moicano has shown he's not scared of anyone.
Here are the UFC 272 odds, featuring our Dos Anjos-Moicano prediction, courtesy of FanDuel.
UFC 272 Odds: Dos Anjos-Moicano Odds
Rafael dos Anjos (-166)
Renato Moicano (+140)
How Will Fight End
KO/TKO (+260)
Submission (+260)
Points (-125)
How Rafael Dos Anjos Wins The Fight At UFC 272
Rafael dos Anjos likes to control the action and mix things up depending on his opponent. He's well-rounded and can win the fight from anywhere. The former lightweight champion will look to control the action from the opening bell and stay in his trademark southpaw stance. He'll test Renato Moicano's cardio and look for openings. There is a very good chance the former champion looks for the takedown in order to drain Moicano's cardio and potentially look for a submission. Dos Anjos has been preparing for months in order to be ready for a striker like Rafael Fiziev. This means he's either been working on his striking or he had a wrestling-heavy gameplan. Seeing how the fight plays out on the feet will determine whether he gets the finish by knockout or submission. Dos Anjos most likely gets the finish in the second round by TKO.
How Renato Moicano Wins The Fight At UFC 272
Renato Moicano has a very tough task in front of him. Stepping in on short notice to face a former champion with no training camp is very bold and it could pay off in a big way if he's able to find a win. He has somehow never scored a knockout win in his career and Rafael dos Anjos is the definition of a ‘granite chin.' Moicano will need to control the action and mix in the ground game in order to gain some control of the fight. Making it ugly is key, grinding up against the fence, and forcing dos Anjos to brawl. Staying perfect for five rounds will be very difficult so Moicano needs to look for submission opportunities. His most likely path to victory is by finding a submission.
Final Dos Anjos-Moicano Prediction & Pick
Renato Moicano has a monster task in front of him. Rafael dos Anjos has had a very long training camp and he's ready to become a contender at lightweight again. The former champion will most likely control the fight and look to get the fight on the ground if he senses danger in the striking. Preparing for a striker should make dos Anjos comfortable on the feet and that will show. Moicano most likely survives a very scary round one with a dos Anjos forcing him to fight off of his back foot. Dos Anjos finds the TKO finish in the second round on a tired but tough Moicano.
Final Dos Anjos-Moicano Pick: Rafael dos Anjos (+360) wins by second-round TKO.
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