TLDR
- Brian Ortega withdrew from UFC 331 bout with Moicano due to an eye laceration suffered in training
- UFC moved Moicano to October 31 UFC Vegas 123 main event against Tom Nolan instead
- This is the second time Ortega has pulled out from a scheduled fight with Moicano
- Moicano believes Tom Nolan will be a harder opponent than Ortega would have been
- Nolan is on a five-fight winning streak and will compete for Moicano’s No. 8 lightweight ranking
Sources: yardbarker.com | mmafighting.com | fightmag.com
Renato Moicano will fight Tom Nolan in the main event of UFC Vegas 123 on October 31 after Brian Ortega withdrew from their scheduled bout at UFC 331. The Brazilian lightweight learned he lost his opponent for the second time just days before Saturday’s event in Los Angeles.
Ortega suffered a laceration over his eye during training that forced him out of the fight. UFC officials announced the cancellation on Monday, leaving the promotion scrambling to find a solution for Moicano.
UFC Chief Business Officer Hunter Campbell reached out to Moicano with options after the withdrawal. During an interview with Ariel Helwani, Moicano explained the conversation that led to his new fight.
“Hunter called me, and he said, ‘Hey, Ortega is out. What do you want to do?'” Moicano said. “And I said, ‘Let me think about it.'”
Moicano initially considered staying on the UFC 331 card with a replacement opponent. However, he quickly realized that finding a quality opponent on one week’s notice would be difficult.
Renato Moicano was upset by Brian Ortega’s withdrawal because it cost him what he viewed as an “easy paycheck”:
“Hunter Campbell called me and said, ‘Ortega’s out. What do you want to do?’ I thought maybe I could stay on the card, but I’d probably have to face somebody who… pic.twitter.com/9CrHbF0PTR
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) September 15, 2026
From Major Event to Fight Night Headliner
“Nobody with a name and that was favorable is gonna take the fight on a week’s notice,” Moicano explained. “So I called Hunter, and I said, ‘Hey, I don’t really fight anybody else on Saturday. Let’s try to find somebody on UFC 333.'”
The UFC instead offered Moicano the main event slot at their October 31 Fight Night card at Meta APEX in Las Vegas. The promotion suggested Tom Nolan as the opponent, and Moicano accepted.
This marks the second time Ortega has pulled out from a fight with Moicano. After Ortega withdrew from UFC 326, the UFC moved Moicano to the main event of UFC Vegas 115 on April 4. He defeated Chris Duncan by second-round rear-naked choke in that bout.
The UFC has made similar moves before when main card fighters lose opponents. After Asu Almabayev withdrew from fighting Brandon Moreno at UFC Mexico in February due to injury, the promotion replaced him with Lone’er Kavanaugh. Kavanaugh was originally scheduled for a different card but stepped up and defeated the former champion.
Moicano Sees Nolan as Tougher Challenge
Moicano expressed confidence that Ortega would have been the easier fight. The Brazilian believes his former opponent is struggling mentally and physically.
“Brian Ortega, he is not in a good place mentally,” Moicano said. “And I think that would be an easy fight, to be honest. Tom Nolan would be harder, but it is what it is, you know?”
Ortega’s recent career supports Moicano’s assessment. The 35-year-old former featherweight title challenger hasn’t won since defeating Yair Rodriguez in 2024. He has lost his last two fights against Diego Lopes and Aljamain Sterling.
Nolan presents a different challenge as he enters the fight on a five-fight winning streak. The 26-year-old Australian most recently defeated Fares Ziam by unanimous decision at UFC Vegas 118 in June.
The fight gives Nolan a chance to break into the lightweight rankings. Moicano currently sits at No. 8 in the 155-pound division, making this a crucial opportunity for the rising contender.
With Moicano vs. Ortega cancelled, UFC 331 is now down to 12 fights. The heavyweight bout between Gable Steveson and Sean Sharaf will open the main card Saturday night. The event is headlined by a flyweight title fight between champion Joshua Van and former champion Alexandre Pantoja.
