The co-main event of UFC Fortaleza saw Jose Aldo pick up a second-round standing TKO finish of fellow Brazilian Renato Moicano. It was a slow-paced first-round, but Aldo hurt Moicano with a left hook early in round two, then swarmed him with a series of unanswered strikes before referee Jerin Valel intervened.
For Moicano, this was just his second defeat in his professional MMA career, and first one due to strikes. Post-fight, Moicano addressed his fans in an Instagram post, and also believed that Velel’s stoppage was premature.
“I came here to say I’m alright,” Moicano said (Portuguese-to-English translation by MMA Fighting’s Guilherme Cruz). “The fight was stopped by technical knockout, but in my opinion the referee stopped it a bit early. But it’s okay, life goes on.
“I was doing good, I think I won the first round and came back more active in the second round. I don’t remember the strike, I didn’t see the strike that started that explosion, and I think the referee stopped it a bit early.”
For what it’s worth, Davis’ own manager Alex Davis though Valel’s decision was totally acceptable.
Moicano is my guy, and I simply love him to pieces. But he was nit reacting. The ref took the correct action and stopped the fight. Simple as that
— Alex Davis (@Alexdavismma) February 3, 2019
Moicano may not have been unconscious, but there was an Aldo uppercut against the fence that really had him wobbled, and it certainly felt like had Valel not stepped in for the stoppage, it was only a matter of time before Renato would’ve hit the floor after that barrage. I really don’t take issue with what transpired, although you can understand why a fighter would feel that way.
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