From Brasília to the UFC Spotlight: Tracking Renato Moicano’s Journey and Fight Record
Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Renato Moicano, born Renato Alves Carneiro, has carved out a lasting presence in the MMA scene for more than a decade. He currently competes in the UFC’s stacked lightweight division. He first broke onto the scene in 2010, submitting Alexandre Almeida at Jungle Fight 18, a win that marked the beginning of a steady rise and eventually earned him the promotion’s interim featherweight title. Since then, he has racked up 27 professional fights.
The nickname “Moicano,” meaning “mohawk” in Portuguese, was given to him during his early jiu-jitsu days, a nod to his hairstyle at the time. He brought that same flair into the UFC in 2014, debuting with a slick rear-naked choke win over Tom Niinimaki at Fight Night 58. His most recent outing saw him challenge Islam Makhachev for the lightweight crown at UFC 311 in January 2025, a bout he lost via brabo choke, snapping a four-fight win streak.
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Renato Moicano’s Nationality
Renato Moicano is a Brazilian mixed martial artist, born on May 21, 1989, in Brasília, Distrito Federal. Though he originally planned to study law, his lifelong connection to martial arts, starting with judo at age eight, ultimately led him down a different path. Moicano left law school behind to chase a fighting career just after two years.
Renato Moicano MMA Record
Renato Moicano’s MMA record is 20-6. The rest is as follows:
| 27 Matches | Wins | Losses |
| By Knockout | 2 | 3 |
| By Submission | 10 | 2 |
| By Decision | 8 | 1 |
| Draws | 1 | |
Who has Renato Moicano lost to?
Renato Moicano holds a professional MMA record of 20 wins, 6 losses, and 1 draw, an early-career majority draw against Felipe Froes at Shooto Brazil 36 in 2012. Known for his grappling skills, 10 of his 20 victories have come by submission.
While his defeats have been spread across a variety of opponents. His first loss came via guillotine choke against Brian Ortega at UFC 214 in 2017. In 2019, he suffered back-to-back TKO defeats to Jose Aldo and Jung Chan-Sung. Moicano was knocked out by Rafael Fiziev at UFC 256 in 2020 and later dropped a decision to Rafael dos Anjos at UFC 272 in 2022.
Most recently, he challenged Islam Makhachev for the UFC lightweight title at UFC 311 in January 2025 but was submitted via brabo choke, his sixth career loss.
Is Renato Moicano a Black Belt?
Yes, Renato Moicano is a black belt in both Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Muay Thai, with the former under Alex Leleco.
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