Renato Moicano invites Benoit Saint Denis to train at ATT

Renato Moicano believes Benoit Saint Denis needs a change in training environment if he is to overcome his two-fight loss following UFC Fight Night 243.

After Moicano (20-5-1 MMA, 12-5 UFC) scored a second-round TKO win over Saint Denis (13-3 MMA, 6-2 UFC) on Saturday at the Accor Arena in Paris, he extended an olive branch to his latest opponent coming into his gym at American Top Team in South Florida.

“I invite Benoit Saint Denis to come to our gym to train with us and I can guarantee that he will become another fighter,” Moicano told reporters at the UFC Fight Night 243 post-fight press conference. In my opinion he needs to step out of his comfort zone. But I think he's a great fighter and he's still young. The problem is they give him Dustin Poirier and “Money” Moicano back to back. We are on a different level now. But I think he’ll get there eventually.”

Moicano said he holds Saint Denis in high regard. However, the limitations in the Frenchman's game that Moicano saw during preparation also showed up in reality, and that will be problematic if Saint Denis wants to reach the next level of the lightweight division.

Moicano's advice is genuine and he hopes Saint Denis takes it seriously.

“I really respect Benoit Saint Denis and what he has done in this division,” Moicano said. “I think he is very strong. I think he's young. But I think he needs to work on his game. Because what makes him dangerous also makes him vulnerable. He puts too much pressure. If he can touch you, he will destroy you. But if he can't touch you, it's easy to tell. Especially when you watch his fights and watch how he faces the fighters, he is always at 100 percent. I talked to my coaches that as soon as I took this guy out, he was going to sweat it all out and gas it out, and that’s exactly what happened.”

For more information on the card, check out MMA Junkie's UFC Fight Night 243 event hub.