Thiago Moises has experienced the pinnacle of the UFC before, and his determination is unwavering to reach those heights once more.
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Thiago Moises has experienced the pinnacle of the UFC before, and his determination is unwavering to reach those heights once more.
In 2021, the Brazilian Contender Series veteran was paired with Islam Makhachev, marking their first-ever UFC main event appearances. During that memorable bout, Makhachev sealed the victory with a fourth-round rear-naked choke submission against Moises.
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Despite the outcome not favoring him on that occasion, Moises emerged from the bout with priceless experience and an unshakable belief in his ability to compete at the highest level in the UFC lightweight division. This confidence was solidified by his performance against a future champion.
“I learned about myself, that I can go out there and do good against the best in the world and beat anybody,” Moises told MMA Fighting. “That’s what I learned about myself.
“[I also learned that] everybody’s beatable. We saw his fight against [Alexander] Volkanovski and he showed a lot of openings in that fight. I was able to take him down. I think everyone is beatable.”
Presently enjoying a consecutive two-fight winning streak, Moises aims to extend it to three victories as he squares off against Benoit Saint-Denis this Saturday at UFC Paris. His ultimate aspiration is to secure a rematch against Makhachev, ideally with a UFC championship on the line, making the prospect of revenge all the more satisfying. However, he remains uncertain whether Makhachev will still hold the title after his anticipated rematch with Charles Oliveira at UFC 294.
In their initial clash, the Makhachev vs. Oliveira matchup was a one-sided affair, with Makhachev asserting his dominance and ultimately securing a second-round victory. However, Moises anticipates a significantly altered outcome come October 21st.
While Moises holds the desire for his own rematch against Makhachev down the line, he is firmly supporting Oliveira to emerge victorious in October.
“I’m going to root for Charles,” Moises said. “I hope Charles wins this. He’s a guy who deserves to be the champion. I love his story. A guy who came from nothing and became a champion. His story inspires me. I’m a big fan of his and I hope he wins.”
Regarding his own professional journey, Moises is set to face a challenging test on Saturday as he squares off against French lightweight Benoit Saint-Denis. Saint-Denis enjoys the advantage of competing on his home turf for the second consecutive year, with the UFC returning to Paris.
Following his own triumphant homecoming earlier this year with a fight in Brazil, Moises eagerly anticipates the enthusiastic welcome he’s bound to receive when he steps into the octagon against Saint-Denis in France.
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