Renato Moicano unleashed a brutal ground-and-pound beatdown on Benoit Saint Denis in the first round of their main event clash tonight at UFC Fight Night 243 and was eventually rewarded with a doctor’s stoppage TKO victory at the end of the second round due to the damage his opponent had sustained to both eyes.
Round One:
The lightweight main event is underway in Paris!
Leg kick from BSD. Inside leg kick from Moicano. Early takedown opportunity is landed by Moicano in the center of the Octagon.
Saint Denis tries to kick Moicano off, but isn’t able to escape and Moicano now is in half-guard. BSD able to get to butterfly guard now. He gets some space and attempts some up-kicks but can’t get up off his back as Moicano is on him again and takes the back.
Moicano had the body triangle. Saint Denis trying to turn but Moicano just ends up in full mount. BSD trying to turn again but eats some big elbows and he’s bleeding.
Moicano in full mount and going for more strikes. Blood streaming from a nasty cut to BSD’s right eye. Saint Denis does manage to get Moicano to half-guard and then full-guard though.
Moicano gives up the back to try to stand but Moicano hauls him down onto him with teh body triangle in again. Back to full mount he goes and lands more cutting elbows.
BSD gets to half-guard. Another elbow lands as Saint Denis blood smears onto the canvas. Great round for Moicano and BSD heads back to his corner afterwards with big cuts to his right eye and big mouse below his left eye.
Round Two:
Saint Denis’ face is a mess as he starts the second round. Inside leg kick for Moicano. Heavy left hand for BSD. Now a body punch. He fires up a sneaky uppercut too.
Another punch from BSD comes off the guard. Moicano tries for a takedown but it’s stopped this time. Punch lands for Moicano.
Head kick attempt from BSD is blocked. Moicano reaches for a single-leg but BSD moves away from his clutches.
Saint Denis pumping out a few punches. He lands to the body. A few light jabs land for Moicano. BSD steps into a solid left hand.
Moicano goes for a takedown and it’s shut down again. Inside leg kick for Moicano. Body punch from the Frenchman and a jab from Moicano.
Moicano clinches up against the cage. BSD reverses it and then they are back to striking range.
It’s amazing that BSD can even see with all the swelling and blood around his eyes, but he’s fighhting on as best he can under the circumstances as the round comes to an end.
The doctor takes a close look at Saint Denis before the start of the third round. There’s dreadful swelling from both eyes but he’s doing his best to tell the doc how many fingers he’s holding up. The doc isn’t happy with his answers and there’s a lengthy conversation with the ref afterwards, then the fight is unfortunately waved off, handing Moicano a TKO victory at 5.00mins of the 2nd round.
So Renato Moicano picks up a major TKO victory here due to the doctor’s stoppage, but he’s not overjoyed by the nature of the stoppage as he stops BSD’s sporting gesture to try to raise his hand up and instead gives him a hug. Great respect from both men, but Moicano deserves a lot of credit for that first round beatdown that eventually led to the stoppage.
