Two top 15 lightweight contenders, No. 9 Beneil Dariush and No. 11 Renato Moicano, will face off tonight at UFC 317. Dariush has lost via KO/TKO in his previous two contests and hasn’t fought since December 2023. Moicano has won four of his previous five bouts, with his lone loss coming against former lightweight champion Islam Makhachev.
Here is my best bet for Beneil Dariush vs. Renato Moicano at UFC 317.
Renato Moicano to Win by KO/TKO/DQ or Submission (+180)
Moicano and Dariush are both 36 years old and need a victory to climb the lightweight rankings again. The odds have moved throughout fight week, but Dariush is a -112 favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook. Moicano is -108 to win this fight, but the better value is to get him at +180 to win this fight by KO/TKO/DQ or Submission.
Moicano’s last two wins were by KO/TKO, and he has won six of his last eight fights by finish. Moicano has a more well-rounded game in this fight and should give Dariush problems with his dynamic style.
In this contest, if Moicano doesn’t allow his last loss to affect him and return to his old self, a win in spectacular fashion against Dariush is possible. With Moicano’s 71 percent takedown defense, it will be hard for Dariush to get the fight to the ground. It would be surprising if Dariush could get the best of Moicano on the feet.
