Australian lightweight Tom Nolan (11-1) will headline UFC Fight Night against veteran 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 in June to break into the lightweight top 15 rankings.
Studying a Hero
Nolan has long admired Moicano, watching his UFC debut when Nolan was just 14. He dissected Moicano's stoppage win over Benoit Saint Denis to prepare for Ziam, noting the Brazilian's body-triangle transitions between mount and back mount. "I'm a big believer in keeping up with the times and studying the sport," Nolan said. Moicano, however, dismissed the idol narrative at Wednesday's media day: "F--- that, Tom Nolan. I'm gonna beat your f---ing ass, bro. Stop that shit. I don't want compliments, I want money."
Upsetting Fares Ziam
Nolan's unanimous-decision victory over Ziam on June 6 saw him land twice as many significant strikes while holding his own in grappling exchanges. The win earned him Ziam's ranking spot. Afterward, Ziam claimed he lacked fire and focus; Nolan responded, "I completely blame myself. I don't want to make excuses. I have to learn from this and be better. I think other people don't do that."
Australian MMA Camaraderie
Fellow Australian prospect Quillan Salkilld is also rising in the division, headlining a Fight Night in February against Saint Denis. Though they don't share a gym, Nolan describes Australia's MMA scene as remarkably collaborative. "We've spoken about it. We're boys, we're on the come up. I'd prefer not to fight any Anzacs," Nolan said, using the term for Australian and New Zealand fighters. "I love the idea of all of us pushing together and beating everyone up."
Cory Sandhagen's Influence
Nolan's studious approach extends to striking. Ahead of his 2023 Contender Series debut, he messaged Cory Sandhagen about a flying-knee instructional and promised to knock out his opponent with one of Sandhagen's techniques. He delivered, stopping Bogdan Grad in 83 seconds with a dart shot from the instructional. UFC commentator Paul Felder called it "one of the most deadly shots I've seen in a long time," and Dana White labeled Nolan a "straight killer" with a bright future.
Turning a Bully Around
Grad had spent weeks antagonizing Nolan online before their fight. Nolan, who dealt with bullies as a child, found deeper satisfaction in Grad's subsequent transformation. Grad returned to the Contender Series a year later, earned a UFC contract, and now competes with humility. "The coolest thing is that guy is now in the UFC, and his whole approach is complete humility," Nolan said. "It's like it humbled him and changed him. So that's probably my proudest part about it."
