On a little more than 24 hours notice, Renato Moicano steps up to battle UFC Lightweight Champion Islam Makhachev in the main event of UFC 311. Originally slated to face Beneil Dariush earlier on the main card, that fight was ultimately scrapped following the Brazilian’s addition to the final bout of the evening.
Ranked Heavyweights Move Up to UFC 311 Main Card
This left a sizable hole on the main lineup that needed to be filled, one that could only be filled by the two heaviest men competing at the event: Jailton Almeida (21-3 MMA, 7-1 UFC) and Serghei Spivac (17-4 MMA, 8-4 UFC). Meant to throw down on the preliminary portion of the show, the two 265-lb contenders were immediately bumped to the pay-per-view showcase after the new headliner was set.
Almeida Top Name at Heavyweight For Years Ahead of UFC 311
Making his UFC debut back in 2022, Almeida quickly made a name for himself as one of the promotion’s most prolific finishers, earning four first round stoppages in his first five contests. For a moment, it looked as if a title shot was on the not so distant horizon for the streaking Brazilian.
However, after suffering his first loss in six years by second round knockout to Curtis Blaydes at UFC 299, all of Almeida’s momentum had seemingly been evaporated in one fell swoop. Getting back into the win column opposite Alexandr Romanov in his last fight, “Malhadinho” is gearing up for another run at UFC gold with a statement win over Spivac.
Spivac Looking To Finally Make Breakthrough toward title contention
Standing as a true veteran of the 265-lb division, Spivac has shared the world-famous UFC Octagon with some of the greatest heavyweights of his time like Ciryl Gane and Tom Aspinall. Although his career in the company got off to a tumultuous start with a 1-2 record after three bouts, “Polar Bear” managed a phenomenal run toward contender status by winning six of his next seven fights.
He was then pitted in his first second straight main event versus French MMA royalty Ciryl Gane at UFC Fight Night 226, falling to the former interim champion in his own backyard of France. The defeat marked a substantial setback for Spivac on his road toward the title, but he was able to get right back on track by submitting Marcin Tybura in the first round in his most recent UFC appearance.
What’s At Stake For Both Men at UFC 311?
At this current moment in time, the heavyweight title picture is a tad messy, with no current date set between 265-lb titleholder Jon Jones and interim champion Tom Aspinall. But while the two best heavyweights on the planet look to finally settle the score after UFC 311, the clear next man in line is still to be determined, which is why the winner of this UFC 311 matchup could either set himself up for a championship opportunity sometime in 2025, or, at the very least, a number one contender bout with another top name in the division.