Renato
“Money†Moicano picked up a quick submission victory in a
grappling match at BJJ Stars 19 ahead of his return to the
Octagon.

The
Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight submitted former
Bellator
champion Patricky
Freire in a grappling match in Sao Paulo.

Renato Moicano submits Patricky Freire ahead of UFC return

He needed less than four minutes to secure an arm-triangle choke
after countering a takedown, advancing to mount and forcing the
tap.

This took Moicano's submission grappling record to 3-1. He
previously defeated fellow UFC fighter Chase
Hooper in 2021 and Cristian
Guzman in 2024 before losing to Russia's Yusuf
Raisov. Meanwhile, the result marked Freire's second submission
loss in a grappling match against a UFC athlete, previously losing
to Arman
Tsarukyan last year. Furthermore, “Pitbull†is on a five-five
losing streak in MMA.

Moicano (21-7-1) returns at UFC 331 on Sept. 18 in Los Angeles,
reportedly set to take on Brian
Ortega. The UFC veteran finished Chris
Duncan in the second round in his last MMA bout, bouncing back
from consecutive defeats to Islam
Makhachev and Beneil
Dariush.

Islam
Makhachev has no intention of following Khabib
Nurmagomedov’s footsteps and retiring early.

Nurmagomedov retired at the age of 32 as the undefeated and
undisputed
Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight champion. Makhachev
then surpassed his mentor's accomplishments at 155 pounds before
claiming gold at 170 pounds. The reigning welterweight king has no
intentions of stopping anytime soon.

Islam Makhachev discusses UFC 330 title defense, Anderson Silva
record chase and future goals

Makhachev is set to defend his welterweight title for the first
time when he meets Ian Garry in
the UFC
330 headliner on Aug. 15 in Philadelphia. Ahead of his first
title defense at 170 pounds, the Dagestani made it clear that early
retirement isn't part of his plans. While a victory over Garry will
see Makhachev break the Octagon record for most consecutive wins,
he's looking to extend the record and further cement his
legacy.

“I am the best fighter in the world, but I want to be the best
fighter to ever do this,†Makhachev said during a UFC 330
promotional video broadcast during
UFC Belgrade. “I have to beat Garry to beat Anderson
Silva’s record. And it’s not going to be just 17 [wins in a
row], it’s going to be many more. I am the best fighter in the
world. I’m going to show it in Philadelphia.â€

Following a promise made to his mother, Nurmagomedov retired months
after the death of his father and coach, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov.
“The Eagle†has since weighed in on Makhachev’s future, previously
revealing that the latter only has a few more fights left, but the
reigning welterweight champ's latest comments suggest otherwise.

Usman Nurmagomedov is now MMA's most prized free agent. | 📷: PFL
MMA

---

Usman
Nurmagomedov has emerged as the most sought-after free agent in
mixed martial arts after completing his contract with the
Professional Fighters League.

Comments from
Ultimate Fighting Championship CEO Dana
White and Usman's cousin, UFC Hall of Famer Khabib
Nurmagomedov, suggest his next move could be unveiled soon.

Khabib Nurmagomedov reveals negotiations on Usman
Nurmagomedov's future will commence ‘soon'

Nurmagomedov further extended his perfect record and added to his
value as a free agent with his dominant victory over Archie
Colgan at
PFL New York. While a UFC move is rumored, re-signing with the
PFL could be a possibility amid the promotion's merger with

Most Valuable Promotions.

Notably, PFL CEO John Martin and MVP co-founder Jake Paul
have publicly expressed their desire to retain the undefeated
lightweight champion. However, when asked about Usman following

UFC Belgrade, White confirmed the UFC's interest in the Russian
and later doubled down on the claim with a subtle hint in a social
media post, sharing a smiling emoji.

Khabib also weighed in on Usman's future. In an Instagram post, the
former UFC lightweight champion revealed that negotiations will be
held soon.

“Usman has shown and proven over the last couple of years that he
is the best lightweight outside the UFC,†Khabib wrote on
Instagram. “Not with words, but with his performances. When I said
in 2020 that Islam was the best at that time, there were many
people who disagreed. Believe me guys, there are levels to this
game. You will see for yourselves what happens next. There will be
negotiations over the next month, and very soon you will find out
for yourselves which league he will continue competing in.â€

An elite
middleweight clash headlines PFL Charlotte: Tune on Friday, Aug. 7
at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Dana White had the biggest smile on his face
when asked about signing Usman
Nurmagomedov 😭

“Sure.” pic.twitter.com/5hTcA4lvf8

— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS)
August 1, 2026

🚨 Khabib on Usman
Nurmagomedov’s future 👀

“Usman has shown and proven over the last couple of years that he
is the best lightweight outside the UFC. Not with words, but with
his performances.

When I said in 2020 that Islam was the best at that time, there
were many people who… https://t.co/EAaGN086db pic.twitter.com/4DYLQ0XjNf

— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS)
August 1, 2026