Tom Nolan Credits Joshua Van for Inspiring UFC Vegas 123 TKO of Moicano
Tom Nolan revealed that flyweight champion Joshua Van's composure on the ground inspired his defensive patience before scoring a third-round TKO over Renato Moicano at UFC Vegas 123.
· VILLAND PICK editorial
Australian lightweight Tom Nolan overcame heavy grappling pressure from Renato Moicano to secure a technical knockout victory at UFC Vegas 123, crediting flyweight champion Joshua Van for shaping his defensive approach. In their Oct. 31 main event, Moicano repeatedly took Nolan to the mat and threatened rear-naked chokes across the first two rounds, but Nolan survived the onslaught and finished the bout at 1:28 of Round 3.
According to Sherdog, Nolan drew inspiration from Van's flyweight title rematch against Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 331 in September. In that bout, Van weathered Pantoja's takedowns and ground control to retain his belt via unanimous decision over five rounds, demonstrating composure despite outside criticism over remaining grounded.
Speaking in a video clip posted on X by UFC on Paramount+, Nolan explained that he adopted Van's mindset rather than rushing an escape that could result in a costly error. Understanding that he had 25 minutes to find his opportunity, Nolan accepted extended stretches of back control without panic, ultimately turning the tide to stop Moicano in the third frame.
Sources
This article was written by VILLAND PICK based on the reports listed above. Original articles are not reproduced.