Renato Moicano pegged as alternate for Max Holloway vs. Brian Ortega at UFC 231

Officials have a plan B for the UFC 231 main event.

The promotion announced Wednesday that Renato Moicano will be an alternate for either featherweight champion Max Holloway or challenger Brian Ortega ahead of their main event title fight scheduled for UFC 231 on Dec. 8 in Toronto.

Moicano (13-1-1) was originally scheduled to fight Mirsad Bektic, but was left without an opponent when Bektic recently withdrew from the card. Winner of five of his six UFC fights, including key victories over Cub Swanson and Jeremy Stephens, Moicano wanted to be booked on UFC 231 in some capacity in the event that Holloway or Ortega should be unable to compete. His lone loss was to Ortega back in July 2017.

This news provides some insurance for a matchup that was already canceled once. Holloway was supposed to defend his title against Ortega at UFC 226 this past July, but he was pulled from the bout just days before fight night due to concussion-like symptoms. It was the second consecutive championship booking Holloway was forced out of after the New York State Athletic Commission deemed him ineligible for a short-notice lightweight title fight opposite Khabib Nurmagomedov atUFC 223. The NYSAC ruled that Holloway could not safely make weight in the time given.

UFC 231 takes place on Dec. 8 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto.