Renato Moicano predicts Conor McGregor will have a successful return to the cage against Michael Chandler, but doesn’t foresee the same success for Sean O’Malley against Merab Dvalishvili, and believes Colby Covington would defeat Ian Machado Garry in a potential bout.
Conor McGregor’s words echo in Renato Moicano’s predictions. He’s got a knack for forecasting, you see.
His UFC 300 face-off with Jalin Turner is on the horizon. Moicano recently dropped by The MMA Hour. The chat was all-encompassing, covering the latest MMA happenings.
He also made some bold predictions for 2024’s biggest fights. And guess what? He’s betting on McGregor to make a triumphant return against Michael Chandler this summer.
“I’m backing McGregor,” Moicano stated on The MMA Hour. “Could be wrong, though. McGregor’s been out of the ring for a while, with that leg injury and all. But, Chandler might just be the perfect opponent for McGregor to shine against. Why? Because I don’t see Chandler taking McGregor down. He’s a wrestler, sure, but we don’t see him use it much. He’s more of a brawler. With his short stature and McGregor’s precision, I see a knockout in Chandler’s future.”
McGregor spilled the beans to MMA Fighting earlier this month. His long-awaited comeback fight against Chandler is finally happening this summer. Chandler seconded that, but both kept mum on whether June 29 is still the official date.
These two have been linked to a UFC matchup since coaching opposite each other on The Ultimate Fighter 31 in early 2023. McGregor hasn’t fought since his leg break in a July 2021 loss to Dustin Poirier.
Moicano sees a bright future for McGregor. But he’s not as optimistic about another MMA star.
UFC bantamweight champ Sean O’Malley revealed last week that his next title defense is against Merab Dvalishvili. The Georgian is on a 10-fight winning streak, thanks to his wrestling skills and superhuman cardio.
Moicano respects O’Malley, especially after his UFC 299 win over Marlon Vera. But he thinks O’Malley’s reign ends with Dvalishvili.
“I don’t see O’Malley beating Merab,” Moicano said. “It’s a bad matchup for O’Malley. But hey, anything can happen. He managed to get past Aljamain Sterling, a good grappler. But Merab’s pressure might be too much for O’Malley.
“Then again, Cejudo did get Merab good once. And others have landed the left hook on Dvalishvili. So, O’Malley has a chance. But I think Merab’s pressure will be overwhelming. If I had to bet, my money would be on Merab.”
Moicano also shared his thoughts on a potential welterweight bout. If it happens, it could be one of UFC’s most controversial matchups of 2024. Undefeated newcomer Ian Machado Garry and three-time UFC title challenger Colby Covington have been trading barbs on social media.
Moicano thinks Covington has the upper hand. “I see Colby winning,” Moicano said. “His wrestling, his pressure. People give Covington a lot of flak, but he’s still got it. I wasn’t impressed with Garry’s last fight against Geoff Neal. It wasn’t a thrilling match. I think Garry would struggle against Covington.”