Australian lightweight Tom Nolan (11-1) will headline UFC Fight Night against Renato Moicano on Saturday at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas. The 26-year-old has won four consecutive fights since dropping his UFC debut, most recently upsetting Fares Ziam to break into the lightweight rankings.
The matchup came together after Brian Ortega withdrew from a scheduled bout with Moicano at UFC 332. Nolan volunteered to step in on short notice, and Moicano advocated for a five-round main event to allow both fighters proper preparation time.
Studying a Hero
Nolan has long admired Moicano, watching his UFC debut when Nolan was just 14. He studied Moicano's dominant stoppage win over Benoit Saint Denis to prepare for Ziam, noting the Brazilian's use of the body triangle to transition between mount and back mount. Despite the admiration, Moicano dismissed any sentimental narrative at Wednesday's Media Day, stating he wants money, not compliments.
Convincing Win Over Ziam
In June, Nolan outlanded Ziam by a 2-to-1 margin in significant strikes over three rounds and held his own in grappling exchanges, earning a unanimous decision and Ziam's Top 15 ranking spot. Nolan attributed Ziam's post-fight excuses to a lack of internal accountability, contrasting it with his own approach of blaming himself for losses.
Australian MMA Camaraderie
Nolan's rise coincides with fellow Australian prospect Quillan Salkilld, who headlines a Fight Night in February. The two have discussed a potential future clash but prefer not to fight each other, citing a collaborative Australian MMA scene where fighters freely exchange knowledge across gyms.
Sandhagen's Influence
Nolan's studious approach extends to his striking. Ahead of his Contender Series debut, he reached out to Cory Sandhagen for advice and later knocked out Bogdan Grad in 83 seconds using a dart shot technique from Sandhagen's instructional. UFC CEO Dana White called Nolan a "straight killer" with a bright future after that performance.
Nolan also took satisfaction in Grad's transformation from a pre-fight bully to a humble UFC fighter, viewing it as personal growth for both men.
