UFC Vegas 123 live blog: Renato Moicano vs. Tom Nolan

This is the live blog for Renato Moicano vs. Tom Nolan, the lightweight main event for Saturday’s UFC Vegas 123 card at the UFC Meta APEX in Las Vegas.

Joining the UFC in 2014, Moicano originally cut his teeth in the 145-pound weight class, but after back-to-back losses to top contenders in 2019, “Money” moved up to 155 pounds. He’s been a major player since the move up, even challenging Islam Makhachev for the title last year, coming up short on short notice. After another setback following that loss, Moicano got back on track earlier this year against Chris Duncan, and now he’s looking to turn back another rising contender in Nolan.

A Contender Series signee in 2023, Nolan suffered an immediate setback in his debut, losing to Nikolas Motta. Since then, however, “Big Train” has been rolling, winning five consecutive fights to earn a spot in the UFC’s lightweight rankings and now his first main event in the promotion.

Check out the live blog for Moicano vs. Nolan below.

Preamble

Alright, y’all. We’re at the end now. This has been a card. A good one? Eh. But there have been a few fun things here and there, and I love this main event. Should be fun.

Pre Fight

Of all that Aussie MMA fighters, Tom Nolan feels like the most Aussie. I don’t know how, but he just does.

Moicano is such a strange dude. No notes.

Moicano is 11 years older, 4 inches shorter, and drops 1 inch of reach. He’s the -120 favorite though, with Nolan at +100 as the underdog.

Joe Martinez gets things going, and the new APEX is so much better. Sounds like a small arena now instead of an empty gym. Crowd seems evenly split, maybe favoring Moicano a little. Mostly just here to fight.

They meet in the middle for final instructions, touch gloves, and it’s go time!

Round 1

Nolan out in southpaw, Moicano in orthodox. Lots of feints out of Nolan early, Moicano holding a high guard and pawing. Nolan lands a nice body kick into a left hand and Moicano misses the counter. Right to action.

Moicano holding the centering and coming forward. Noland cracks him with a left hand once he’s up against the fence but Moicano drops to a takedown and he’s on the legs. Pulls Nolan from the fence and quick takedown! And immediately Moicano moves to the back as Nolan was slow to react. Moicano with the body triangle and we’re rolling.

Nolan trying to move and defend. Moicano staying locked on him and fishing arms. Nolan keeps moving, and he gets to the fence and stands up. Moicano holding the body lock on the back while Noland continues to defend the neck. Moicano gonna get a little tired with his legs holding onto this, but he has no intention of giving it up. Nolan showing good awareness for the choke, but Moicano keeps fishing.

Moicano gets a crank going and Nolan drops back to the mat. Even better for Moicano right now. But Nolan staying very sound with his hand fighting. Moicano landing some small shots, but mostly not a lot of damage, just looking for the sub. And Moicano is not getting much done now, as Nolan is really fighting these hands. Nolan isn’t even pretending to escape though. He’s abandoned the round, and that works, but you can only do it twice. He does survive the round, though.

MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9 Moicano.

Round 2

In my view, a round like that should be scored a 10-8 for Moicano as it was almost entirely assymetrical, but that’s not the rules. Alas.

Nolan looks unperturbed to start the round and he comes out throwing kicks. Moicano tries to catch a kick, misses, but still gets into a body lock. Nolan fights in the clinch and breaks free. Oh! Big head kick from Nolan! Moicano eats it but that landed and then a combo, too! Nolan feeling himself and Mocaino immediately gets in on him, grabs a body lock, slides by and gets the takedown. And immediately Moicano goes to the back, and locks in the body triangle.

Good start for Nolan, and now he’s in the nightmare zone. He’s shown no ability to escape this position.And Moicano seems uninterested to try for big offense here. He’s going to Charles Oliveira-Max Holloway this if he has to. Nolan throwing these useless elbows to the thighs, and that just bothers me. Because it’s doing nothing, and he needs to be trying to do something.

Moicano keeps chipping in shots and fishing arms. The crowd starts booing. We’re gonna be here for another two minutes. This is boring.

WOWWWWWWWWWWW. Dan Miragliotta stood the fight up. That is a TRAVESTY. You cannot do that. Unacceptable reffing. And now Nolan is touching Moicano up on the feet. This is such nonsense. And oh! Big knee from Noland drops Moicano! Moicano trying to tie up and survive! Nolan pouring it on but Moicano working, and Nolan gets a takedown at the end of the round for good measure.

MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9 Nolan, 19-19 overall.

Round 3

Per the rules, you have to score that for Nolan based on impact, but Miragliotta was wretched there. Feels gross to give Nolan the round.

Nolan going right back to the high kick. Moicano is slowing down, for sure. And Nolan keeps landing the kick, to the body and head. Moicano tries to clinch, but Nolan breaks it. Nolan with all-left offense. Left hand, left kick, left knee, and it’s working.

But Moicano grabs a clinch! And gets the takedown! But Moicano is tired and this time Nolan reverses him! And he’s pouring on damage from the top! Moicano gonna have to survive a long time and he’s not gonna. Miragliotta warning him, and it’s a matter of time. And there is it! Tom Nolan gets the stoppage, but man, that still feels gross.

Look, you can’t blame Nolan. He did his job. And maybe he’d have done that anyway in the third round. But Miragliotta interfered in that fight in an unacceptable manner. He should be reprimanded for that at the least.

Official Decision

Tom Nolan def. Renato Moicano via TKO (punches) — 1:28, Round 3

Post Fight

Nolan puts his coaches over, says he trusted in God’s plan and his coaches and delivered. He says he wasn’t shocked about the standup, pointing out that the crowd was booing. Then he watches the knee that hurt Moicano and shouts out City Kickboxing.

Nolan says he doesn’t have an particular opponent in mind. Says this was the fight he wanted, so whatever the UFC wants to do with him next, he’s down.