TLDR
- Tom Nolan defeated Renato Moicano in the third round at UFC Vegas 123 on October 31 after a controversial referee standup
- Referee Dan Miragliotta stood the fighters up in round two despite Moicano having Nolan’s back, sparking criticism from fans and fighters
- Nolan says he would give Moicano a rematch “in a heartbeat” if the Brazilian fighter wants one
- The Australian believes he would finish Moicano even faster in a second fight now that he has felt his opponent’s style
- Nolan maintains he would have won regardless of the standup, saying Moicano couldn’t have maintained ground control for three more rounds
Sources: sherdog.com | sports.yahoo.com
Tom Nolan says he would finish Renato Moicano even faster if the two fighters meet again inside the octagon. The Australian welterweight addressed the controversy surrounding their recent UFC Vegas 123 main event in an interview with Ariel Helwani.
Nolan defeated Moicano by finish in the third round on October 31 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The Brazilian fighter controlled Nolan on the ground for most of the first two rounds of their bout.
However, referee Dan Miragliotta made a decision in the second round that sparked immediate backlash. He stood the fighters up even though Moicano had secured Nolan’s back on the ground.
.@moicanoufc won't appeal his #UFCVegas123 loss to Tom Nolan, but has a message for referee Dan Miragliotta:
"I want him to go f*ck himself, him and everyone else. I don’t give a shit."
(🎥 @guicruzzz) pic.twitter.com/uaxjPmeiKD
— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) November 1, 2026
Fighters and fans criticized Miragliotta’s call on social media following the event. Many believed the standup gave Nolan an unfair advantage that changed the outcome of the fight.
Nolan Addresses the Controversial Standup
Nolan acknowledged the unfortunate nature of the referee’s intervention during the fight. He told Helwani that he understands why people questioned the standup decision.
The Australian fighter said he would give Moicano a rematch “in a heartbeat” if the Brazilian wants one. Nolan holds a record of 12 wins and 1 loss, while Moicano stands at 21 wins, 8 losses, and 1 draw.
Despite Moicano’s ground control in the early rounds, Nolan believes the outcome would have been the same. He said there was no way the Brazilian could have maintained that pace for rounds three, four, and five.
“It’s very unfortunate what happened,” Nolan said. “But we still had rounds three, four and five.”
Nolan expressed confidence that a rematch would end in his favor again. He said the fight would “probably go very similarly, but a lot earlier.”
Fighter Claims Experience Will Help in Second Meeting
The Australian explained that having felt Moicano’s style once gives him an advantage. “Now that I’ve felt him, I think it’d be over pretty quickly,” Nolan stated.
Nolan was careful to clarify his intentions when discussing a potential rematch. He said he doesn’t want to disrespect Moicano or call him out publicly.
The fighter emphasized that his willingness to rematch stems from wanting to settle any doubts about the result. He remains convinced he would have finished Moicano even without the controversial standup.
Moicano’s record entering the fight showed him as a veteran of 30 professional MMA bouts. The Brazilian had fought some of the top names in the UFC lightweight division before the October 31 contest.
Nolan’s comments came just days after the UFC Vegas 123 event concluded. The controversy surrounding the referee’s decision continues to generate discussion in the MMA community.
The UFC has not announced whether a rematch between Nolan and Moicano is under consideration. Nolan made clear he is ready and willing if the promotion decides to book the fight again.
