“One man’s loss is another man’s gain!” This phrase perfectly sums up the situation for #10 ranked 155fer Renato Moicano, who experienced a dramatic shift in his career trajectory during the year’s first PPV event, UFC 311. At the last minute, title challenger Arman Tsarukyan withdrew from his main event encounter against reigning kingpin Islam Makhachev.

‘Money’ was originally scheduled to fight Beneil Dariush on the main card but stepped in as a last-minute replacement to headline against the Dagestani on just 24 hours notice. Despite his best efforts, the Brazilian couldn’t end Makhachev’s three-year reign. However, in a surprising twist, Moicano managed to secure a bigger payday than the champion, according to initial CSAC reports.

In a recent appearance on the ‘ShowMeTheMoney’ podcast, the Brazilian discussed his earnings, saying, “I got a nice check.” The host responded, “I’m going to set the over/under, bro. I’m going to set the over/under at 9 Bitcoin, over or under?” Moicano dismissed the host’s prediction, and the host reiterated, “9 Bitcoin” salary. ‘Money’ then replied, “No, no, over, over. What’s Bitcoin at right now? 104? 103? So what’s that? 950k.”

In a high-stakes, one-round showdown, Moicano fell victim to Makhachev’s signature D’Arce choke. While he couldn’t dethrone the reigning champion, disclosed figures from the California State Athletic Commission revealed that Moicano walked away with a $250,000 flat fee, surpassing Makhachev’s $200,000 purse. These figures, however, do not account for PPV revenue or performance bonuses.

The Brazilian’s impressive payday was enough to raise eyebrows, including those of fellow lightweight contender Paddy Pimblett. So, why is the Englishman unhappy about Moicano’s once-in-a-lifetime “opportunity again”? Let’s dive in.

Renato Moicano shuts down “spoiled brat” Paddy Pimblett

Fellow 155fer Paddy Pimblett, like many others, eagerly tuned in to watch the recent UFC 311 headliner. However, he didn’t hold back his displeasure when Renato Moicano was handed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to fight the reigning champion, Islam Makhachev. Taking to Instagram last week, Pimblett criticized the Brazilian’s performance, saying, “You f*cking tap that quick, Renato? Go asleep, lad – go out on your shield.”

Moicano, however, had his own perspective to share. Drawing on the phrase, “he who wears the shoe knows where it pinches,” the Brazilian appeared on the Ariel Helwani show to address the challenges of accepting a title fight on short notice. He explained how the strict weight requirements added to the difficulty of the situation.

Moreover, Moicano didn’t hold back as he fired a scathing response to Pimblett: “He never beat anybody that is good on the Octagon. UFC always favors him for a reason, he has millions of followers. That’s a spoiled brat motherf—er. They give him everything that he needs. He never took a fight on short notice. He has the silver spoon. They’re going to feed him the best matchups, they’re going to do everything that is good for him.”

What’s your take on Dana White’s decision to pay Renato Moicano ‘950k’? Is it a fair reward for stepping in on short notice? Drop your thoughts below!