Nolan Stops Moicano After Controversial Standup

Tom Nolan stopped Renato Moicano with third-round ground and pound at UFC Vegas 123, but the finish came only after referee Dan Miragliotta twice stood the fighters up from dominant grappling positions that drew loud boos from the crowd.

Moicano controlled the first two rounds on the mat, locking Nolan in back mount with a body triangle and fishing for submissions. As MMA Fighting reported, Nolan showed patience in surviving the early onslaught but offered little offense beyond hand fighting. Midway through the second round, with Moicano holding the same position, Miragliotta stood them up. Nolan immediately landed a knee that dropped Moicano and nearly finished the Brazilian before the bell.

Controversial Standup Shifts Momentum

"That is a TRAVESTY," MMA Fighting's live blog stated of the standup. "You cannot do that. Unacceptable reffing." The decision drew widespread criticism on social media, with fighters and fans questioning whether Miragliotta interfered in the natural course of the fight. Nolan came out fast in the third with kicks and knees to the body and head. Moicano secured another takedown but appeared tired, and this time Nolan reversed position and unleashed vicious ground strikes until Miragliotta stopped it at 1:28 of the round.

"That's probably better than I expected," Nolan said afterward, per MMA Fighting. "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." When asked about the standup, Nolan pointed to the crowd reaction. "I wasn't shocked about the standup, pointing out that the crowd was booing," he said.

The win gives Nolan his sixth straight victory since dropping his UFC debut to Nikolas Motta in 2023. Moicano, who challenged Islam Makhachev for the lightweight title last year, suffers his second loss in three fights. Nolan next fights at the UFC's discretion after earning his first main event stoppage.

Reported via:

• MMA Fighting — Tom Nolan brutalizes Renato Moicano with ground and pound to win UFC Vegas 123 main event
• MMA Fighting — UFC Vegas 123 live blog: Renato Moicano vs. Tom Nolan
• MMA Fighting — UFC Vegas 123 Results: Moicano vs. Nolan
• BJPenn — Pros react after Tom Nolan TKO’s Renato Moicano at UFC Vegas 123: “Terrible Ref!”
• BJPenn — UFC Vegas 123 Results: Tom Nolan TKO’s Renato Moicano (Video)