Chris Duncan: Renato Moicano Training History 'equalizer' At Ufc Vegas 115

LAS VEGAS – Chris Duncan admits Renato Moicano beat him up when he first joined American Top Team years ago, but he will look to show how much he's evolved in Saturday's UFC Fight Night 272 main event.

Duncan (15-2 MMA, 6-1 UFC) has spent many training sessions with Moicano (20-7-1 MMA, 12-7 UFC) on the mats in Coconut Creek, Fla. Given the depth of talent at that team, it's always a possibility that two fighters will be matched up. That happened for the upcoming five-round headliner at Meta APEX (Paramount+), and now it's just days away.

Although the two were isolated as much as possible, Duncan (15-2 MMA, 6-1 UFC) revealed he still crossed paths with Moicano throughout camp. It might seem weird to some, but for Duncan, it's just business.

"He was there (at ATT)," Duncan told MMA Junkie and other reporters at Wednesday's UFC Fight Night 272 media day. "He was in the same gym and we were in the sauna together. A lot of people don't get what I'm doing and what me and Moicano do. We have so much respect for each other that it's going to be fighting and it's going to be an equalizer on Saturday night. Whoever wins, wins. People can't fathom that, and that's why people like to watch, because people are not bred like me. I'm on a different level."

Duncan enters his first octagon headliner on a four-fight winning streak, while Moicano is looking to bounce back from two consecutive losses. It's an important fight in the career of both, and Duncan is going into it with a serious mindset.

"I feel like I get to express myself a little bit better with the five rounds," Duncan said. "He's obviously a fantastic opponent. Unfortunately, he's a teammate, but I'm absolutely ecstatic to be stepping across the octagon in front of him. What an opponent. The actual caliber of opponents he's had in the past. Jose Aldo. Islam Makhachev. The resume is insane.

"I'm not thinking any further into the future. Moicano (on) Saturday. Home (on) Sunday. That's all I've got planned."

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Chris Duncan: Renato Moicano history an 'equalizer' at UFC Vegas 115