Esteban Ribovics has been calling for a fight against Renato Moicano for some time now, and he thought he finally got his opportunity when he got the call asking him to replace an injured Brian Ortega at UFC 326.

Despite the fight being just four weeks away, it took no time for Ribovics to accept but then he got word that Moicano wasn’t interested. While Moicano hasn’t publicly addressed the fight or his interest in staying on UFC 326 against a different opponent, Ribovics is taking aim at the Brazilian for not just immediately accepting the matchup knowing he’s the one with the advantage since he’ll have a full training camp to prepare.

“I think he knows I’m his worst investment,” Ribovics told MMA Fighting about the Moicano fight. “I’m not easy money. Maybe, I don’t know. I’m ready for this. I’ve been ready for this matchup a long time ago. I called him [out] in another interview. Many, many times. I’m ready for him. I’m ready for the fight of the night.

“I accepted [right away]. [My manager] said ‘do you want to fight with Moicano?’ I said absolutely. I said yes, right now. Maybe he has more weeks training than me. I was training in Argentina but it’s not the full camp. It’s short notice for me. He has nothing to lose.”

Moicano was preparing for his return at UFC 326 off two consecutive losses after he accepted a title fight against Islam Makhachev on one day’s notice but fell by submission at UFC 311. When he returned six months later, Moicano dropped a unanimous decision to Beneil Dariush at UFC 317.

His scheduled fight in March was a chance to get back in the win column against a well-known opponent like Ortega, who was moving to lightweight after spending almost his entire career competing at 145 pounds.

Ribovics can’t help but wonder if Moicano just views him as a more dangerous opponent with greater risk to get bounced completely out of the top 15 rankings with another loss.

“I think yes, [he needs a win] but he doesn’t want to fight with a guy out of the top 15 maybe,” Ribovics said. “One more loss and he gets out of the top 15 easy. I think he’s thinking about that, too.”

With three consecutive Fight of the Night awards on his resume, Ribovics knows he brings an exciting style that would challenge Moicano in every facet of the game.

He may not have the ranking next to his name but Ribovics promises he’s not afraid of anything Moicano could throw at him and he actually welcomes the opportunity to show off all of his weapons in that fight.

“I’m ready for that. I’m ready for Moicano,” Ribovics said. “If he wants to fight in striking, let’s fight striking. If he wants to go to the ground, let’s go to the ground. I can show the people my jiu-jitsu.

“I’ve been waiting for him for a long time. I called him [out] many, many times in interviews. Honestly, I’m ready for him.”

Of course, Ribovics recognizes that Ortega wasn’t ranked at lightweight either so it just doesn’t make much sense why Moicano wouldn’t accept the challenge to face him.

As he’s been making his way up the ranks with a 4-2 record in the UFC thus far, the 29-year-old Argentinean has never turned down an opportunity outside of an offer made when he was dealing with a fractured foot among a few other nagging injuries.

“I always take the fight,” Ribovics said. “I fight with my f*cking teammate in my first fight in the UFC with Loik [Radzhabov]. Every fight, I accept the fight. Terrance McKinney, [Daniel] Zellhuber, I accept the fight. I don’t care. It doesn’t matter who or where, I am ready.”

While he can’t say for certain if Moicano is going to change his mind and accept the fight, Ribovics sent him one final message hoping he could entice the Brazilian to clash with him at UFC 326 and put on the kind of show where both of them could earn an extra $ 100,000 bonus.

“If you think I’m easy money, bet on it and find out,” Ribovics said addressing Moicano directly. “I’m ready Moicano. I’m ready for you. I respect you but give me the opportunity. It’s time. I can show the people my new version.”