Thiago Moises expected to fight promotional newcomer at UFC Vegas 88 after Brad Riddell pulls out

UFC lightweight contender Thiago Moises was all set to face fellow promotional mainstay, New Zealand's Brad Riddell. Their 155-pound showdown was expected to transpire at the UFC Fight Night 239 (UFC Vegas 88) event at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, on March 16, 2024.

Riddell took a hiatus from professional MMA competition in November 2022 after three back-to-back defeats, and his comeback recently hit a roadblock. In mid-February 2024, it was revealed that Riddell had withdrawn from the scheduled matchup against Moises.

On that note, it's now being reported that the UFC has found a replacement opponent for Thiago Moises. As per MMA Fighting, Moises (17-7 MMA) is booked to take on UFC debutant Mitch Ramirez (8-1 MMA) in a lightweight bout as a part of the UFC Vegas 88 fight card. The event will be headlined by a heavyweight bout between fan-favorite Australian MMA star Tai Tuivasa and Poland's Marcin Tybura.

As for Moises, the Brazilian MMA stalwart has secured a pair of victories and suffered a trio of defeats in his past five octagon appearances. The 28-year-old's most recent MMA bout witnessed him suffer a second-round TKO defeat against Benoit Saint Denis in September 2023.

On the other hand, his new UFC Vegas 88 opponent, Mitch Ramirez, has won four of his past five MMA fights. In August 2023, he failed to win a UFC contract, losing to Carlos Prates by second-round TKO at a Dana White's Contender Series (DWCS) event.

'The Fight Stalker's' next matchup saw him beat Eiycaireon Tavarres by first-round TKO under the LFA MMA banner in December 2023. Ramirez's fight at UFC Vegas 88 would mark his maiden matchup in the UFC's famed octagon.

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Thiago Moises jibes at Brad Riddell over UFC Vegas 88 withdrawal, addresses next move

Taking to his official X handle, Thiago Moises has now touched upon Brad Riddell's inability to face him in their lightweight clash at UFC Vegas 88. The grappling savant jestingly suggested that Riddell injured his eyelashes, which coerced him to pull out of their showdown.

Furthermore, the Brazilian athlete indicated that he'll face another opponent at UFC Vegas 88. Moises notably expressed his appreciation toward UFC matchmaker Sean Shelby and the UFC organization for handing him the opportunity to compete at the event. Expressing his elation over his upcoming fight, he tweeted:

"I got a new dance partner for March 16th. Brad Riddell got his eyelashes hurt and nobody in the roster wanted to step in. Thanks to @seanshelby and the @ufc I’m still in the card. LFG"