Tom Nolan Stops Renato Moicano with Third-Round TKO at UFC Vegas 123

Tom Nolan secured the biggest victory of his career on Saturday, finishing Renato Moicano via third-round ground and pound in the main event of UFC Vegas 123. After surviving multiple submission attempts on the canvas early, Nolan turned the momentum in his favor to force a stoppage from referee Dan Miragliotta at the 1:28 mark of round three.

Moicano started strong in the opening frame, landing a body kick before taking Nolan down and locking in a body triangle from back mount. The Brazilian constantly hunted for rear-naked chokes, but Nolan displayed composure and defensive discipline to survive the round. Moicano repeated his grappling success in the second round, once again dragging Nolan to the mat with a body lock and taking his back. However, Miragliotta stood both fighters up, allowing Nolan to land heavy strikes and score a late knockdown just before the horn sounded.

Nolan carried that momentum into the third round, opening with a head kick and a sharp knee strike. Although Moicano briefly got the fight back to the ground, Nolan quickly reversed positions and unloaded an unanswered barrage of strikes from the top until Miragliotta stepped in to halt the contest.

“I come in here, I spoke to God, I said this is the plan for me and I trust me,” Nolan said after the fight. “I come in here ice cold and I delivered. This is my job right now and I performed. Whatever the UFC want to do with me next.”