Tom Nolan delivered the biggest victory of his UFC career, overcoming Renato Moicano’s early grappling control before rallying to score a third-round TKO in the main event of UFC Vegas 123.
A seasoned lightweight contender faces a rising Australian finisher as the UFC closes out October with a five-round main event at the Meta APEX. The Ultimate Fighting Championship heads back to Las Vegas this Saturday, October 31, for UFC Fight Night: Moicano vs. Nolan, with Renato Moicano and Tom Nolan set to headline the Halloween weekend card.
Moicano, the Brazilian contender, returns to headline another UFC Fight Night after submitting Chris Duncan in the second round of their April meeting. He has also earned notable victories over Benoît Saint Denis and Jalin Turner, while previous defeats to Islam Makhachev and Beneil Dariush remain part of his recent record.
Standing opposite him is Australia’s Tom Nolan, a 26-year-old contender who has won five consecutive fights heading into his first UFC main event. His recent run includes a unanimous decision victory over Farès Ziam, alongside first-round finishes of Charlie Campbell and Victor Martinez. For Nolan, the five-round contest represents a significant step up in competition. For Moicano, it is an opportunity to demonstrate that he remains a serious presence among the lightweight division’s leading contenders.
Nolan opens with a body kick, but Moicano answers with a leg kick before quickly bringing the fight to the canvas. Moicano works his way to Nolan’s back and locks in a body triangle, putting himself in a strong position to attack. Nolan gets back to his feet with Moicano still attached to his back, but the veteran continues working for a choke. Nolan drops back down to defend, and Moicano maintains back control through the closing moments of the round. Moicano’s takedown and positional control give him the clear advantage in the opening five minutes.
Moicano opens the second round with a body kick. Nolan looks for a head kick, but Moicano closes the distance and takes him down again. He quickly works to Nolan’s back, returning to the body triangle and landing short punches while continuing to threaten the neck. Nolan struggles to escape as Moicano maintains the dominant position. Then referee calls for a stand-up, despite Moicano appearing to be actively working from back control. The decision changes the momentum almost immediately. Nolan lands a knee that drops Moicano, then follows with ground-and-pound as the Brazilian tries to recover. Moicano survives the late attack, but Nolan closes the round with a major momentum swing.
Nolan comes out aggressively, landing a body kick and pressing forward with strikes. Moicano looks to regain control by taking the fight to the ground, but Nolan reverses the position and ends up on top.
Nolan unleashes a barrage of ground-and-pound, landing punches and elbows as Moicano struggles to defend. Referee steps in at 1:28 of the round, bringing the main event to an end. Nolan secures the third-round TKO, turning a fight that begins with Moicano’s grappling control into a decisive finish.
“That’s probably better than I expected,” Nolan said about the win. “I come in here, I spoke to God, I said this is the plan for me and I trust me. I come in here ice cold and I delivered. “This is the guy I wanted to fight. This is my job right now and I performed. Whatever the UFC want to do with me next.”
The finish gives Nolan a major victory over a ranked lightweight and extends his UFC winning streak. Moicano, meanwhile, leaves the main event with questions surrounding both the late-round damage and the referee’s decision to stand the fighters up in Round 2. The controversial moment does not erase Nolan’s finish, but it remains a significant part of the story of UFC Vegas 123.
