During UFC 311, Renato Moicano caught Islam Makhachev with a right hand that seemed to knock the Dagestani champion down in the first round. It was a brief moment that stirred up plenty of talk afterward. Some fans thought Moicano had actually hurt Makhachev, while others believed it was just a slip. In the aftermath, many were left wondering whether Moicano truly knocked down Makhachev or if it was simply a slip.
Joe Rogan Clears the Air on the Incident
Joe Rogan, UFC commentator and host of the Joe Rogan Experience, weighed in on this incident during episode #2266. Rogan, who was part of the live broadcast team for the event, had a clear take on the situation.
Rogan explained that while Moicano’s punch did make contact, it wasn’t quite as impactful as it appeared in real-time.
“Moicano caught him with a right hand and it looked like he hit him. We thought he dropped him. But really what happened is he kind of hit him in like the shoulder and they tripped legs together. And Islam fell down,” Rogan said.
This explanation clarifies the confusion surrounding the moment. Rogan elaborated, sharing how in the past, fighters and commentators didn’t always have the luxury of replays or instant access to visuals to review such moments.
“The judges have monitors now. They didn’t used to have monitors. In the early days, we had to fight to get them monitors. We’re like, ‘We should be able to show them stuff in the replay that the crowd is seeing cause sometimes you think a guy got knocked down, but he didn’t. He just tripped. And it looks like he got knocked down, but it really he just got punched on the shoulder and they just fell down,” he explained.
🚨 IT’S OVER IN ROUND ONE ! Islam Makhachev is still the king of the lightweight division ! He ate that first hit, locked in, and put Renato Moicano in a D’arce choke. 👑 #UFC311 pic.twitter.com/93pvZLtWvl
— seiya_updates (@AliN47ion) January 19, 2025
Rogan on How This Affects Judging
He further added, “We thought he was hurt. But if you saw the replay, you’d realize he just slipped.” It seems that what many believed to be a knockdown was simply a misinterpretation of Moicano’s punch connecting with Makhachev’s shoulder. The two fighters then tripped, causing Makhachev to lose balance.
Despite the confusion in the moment, the result of the fight was clear. Makhachev quickly regained control and submitted Moicano in the first round, making the issue of the slip or knockdown ultimately irrelevant in the outcome. Still, the point about how such moments can influence judging was important, especially when considering how crucial visual evidence can be in decision-making.
Rogan continued, “So if you are judging that, I mean Islam finished him in the first round. He subbed him in the first round so it didn’t matter, but if you saw that fight and if that went to the distance and you said, ‘Oh my God, he’s hurting him. He’s rocking him on the feet,’ you would maybe score that round for Moicano. When if you saw the replay, ‘Oh he didn’t rock him. He just slipped.”
In the end, it’s clear that Makhachev’s championship defense wasn’t threatened by the slip, but the controversy around this moment highlights how important it is to have clear visuals and accurate judgment in combat sports.