Moicano throws knee on Iliarde. Photo: Carlos Ozório.
Renato “Moicano” Carneiro is one of the diamonds in the rough being polished up in Brazilian domestic MMA. With five fights at Jungle Fight under his belt, he has maintained his invincibility throughout full fledged wars, the latest against the seasoned Iliarde dos Santos.
“Look, that fight was really tough but so far the hardest one was against Andrezinho Nogueira. I suffered a knockdown in that one and – you can ask anyone at my gym – I have a really hard chin. Only Paulo Thiago and Massaranduba could knock me down. This time I took a bunch of stingers, but I didn’t fall,” he remarks.
A member of Constrictor Team, led by Jiu-Jitsu black belt Ataíde Jr., Moicano also packs heat in the standup department. Landing potent kicks and punches in lively fights is normal fare for the fighter.
“We also have Professor Rodrigo Aguiar, who is really nuts but is an awesome master! We train a lot of standup and are encouraged to do so. We’re a striking and Jiu-Jitsu team,” he explains.
Moicano trains alongside UFC aces Paulo Thiago and Rani Yahya. He plays a part in Paulo’s preparations for UFC Rio, where he will face David Mitchel.
“The guy who’s going to fight him is screwed. He’s on fire and David Mitchel will see,” he guarantees.
The bout with Iliarde was a grueling affair. The unanimous decision went to Moicano but both left with plenty of wear and tear.
“Now I want to take some time before fighting again. I’ve been having a lot of fights back to back and I’m injured. I want to train well to be at my best,” said the promising up-and-comer from Brasília.
