Renato Moicano wanted Zabit Magomedsharipov before accepting fight with Korean Zombie

Renato Moicano will be returning to the Octagon on June 22 in the main event of the UFC’s first event in Greenville, South Carolina.

When Moicano steps into the Octagon, standing across from him will be “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung, who was not the Brazilian’s first choice of who he wanted to fight.

“I like his style. I think he is a big name, and I wanted to fight soon,” Moicano told BJPENN.com. “He is the only guy who didn’t have a fight. I was trying to get a fight with Brian Ortega or Zabit Magomedsharipov and other guys. But UFC asked if I wanted Zombie and I said yes, I don’t turn down fights, I’ll fight anyone in the division. I will do my best to beat him.”

When Moicano asked to fight Magomedsharipov, the UFC apparently showed some interest, but the fight never materialized. He isn’t sure why.

“I really don’t know. I talked to my manager and said I want the biggest name I can get,” he said. “Zabit is a big name but I don’t know what happened if he had an injury or turned it down. I really don’t know what happened.”

Ultimately, Moicano ended up in a fight he is looking forward to and gets to headline his first UFC card. For the Brazilian, it is a dream come true.

“They just called me asked if I wanted to fight Korean Zombie on June 22. I want to fight soon so I accepted,” Moicano explained. “I didn’t know we were going to be the main event but I am glad to be the main event. This is something I really wanted since I first started to watch UFC. It is a really big accomplishment for me.”

Even though Moicano lost his last fight to Jose Aldo, it was a good learning experience for him, he says.

Now, the fifth-ranked featherweight is eager to show why he belongs in the top-five, but he isn’t sure where a win over The Korean Zombie puts him in the division.

“I really don’t know what it means for the rankings. He is a big name, the people know him,” he said. “He has a cool nickname that everyone knows. He’s a good fighter, a great heart and never steps back. When I beat him I will prove to everyone I deserve to be in the top-five and fight the best.”

In the end, Moicano is just ready to fight again no matter who is across from him. Although he never asked to fight The Korean Zombie, he is more than ready for the fight and believes it will be an entertaining one for the fans.

“I think it will be a good fight. He likes to move forward like me,” he concluded. “I think it will be a standup battle over five rounds. I want that.”

Who do you think wins the fight between Renato Moicano and Korean Zombie? Let us know who you’re picking in the comments section.

This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 5/7/2019