Referee’s Decision Leads to Chaos as Renato Moicano Loses Momentum and Gets TKO’d by Tom Nolan

Renato Moicano had the advantage until the referee stood both fighters up in the main event of UFC Vegas 123.

Referee’s Decision Leads to Chaos as Renato Moicano Loses Momentum and Gets TKO’d by Tom Nolan

Referee decision cost Renato Moicano against Tom Nolan (Image via UFC X Account/Facebook)

UFC Vegas 123 featured Renato ‘Money’ Moicano taking on rising star Tom Nolan in the main event. The first round started exactly how a Moicano fight begins when he initiates grappling to take the back or get a dominant position. This first round went exactly that way and Nolan fought for survival.

In the second round, it was the same sequence. Moicano landed a takedown and started controlling the back of his Australian opponent. Despite being in a dominant position, ‘Money Moicano’ didn’t land many strikes. The Meta Apex crowd started booing soon after.

Referee Dan Miragliotta stood both fighters up with around 1 minute and 15 seconds left on the clock. Nolan used that to land a heavy knee strike and a head kick that partially landed. The Australian ended that round on a big note while Moicano looked like he had lost all the momentum.

The third round started with Renato Moicano looking to back some of the momentum. He went for a takedown and almost got the back of Nolan. However, Nolan reversed that position and rained down some heavy strikes on his opponent.

Moicano couldn’t get out of the harm’s way or keep Nolan in his guard. This led to the referee stopping the bout at 1 minute and 28 seconds of the third round. Miragliotta’s actions led to Moicano losing momentum of the fight, but he didn’t protest the stoppage.

Nolan and Moicano hugged it out after the bout and the Australian rising star is now on a six-fight winning streak in the UFC. He is expected to move into the top 10 of the lightweight division. ‘Big Train’ promised a win after getting inspired by Alexander Volkanovski last week and kept his promise.

Meanwhile, Renato Moicano has lost all his momentum. He is now 1-3 in his last four fights, with losses coming against Islam Makhachev, Beneil Dariush, and Nolan. At 37 years of age, no one knows how long the Brazilian intends to keep fighting.

MMA fighters, journalists and fans online complained about the Miragliotta’s action inside the octagon. Some couldn’t believe what had transpired and sympathized with Moicano.

This is because referees doesn’t stand fighters up when a fighter has the opponent’s back. Commentators Daniel Cormier and Laura Sanko made sure to repeat this aspect once the momentum shifted in Nolan’s favor.

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Daniel Cormier upset with how the referee intervened Renato Moicano vs Tom Nolan bout

Every weekend with a UFC fight card is likely to bring out some sort of controversy. Fans are tired of controversial officiating in the sport. Referee Dan Miragliotta’s handling of UFC Vegas 123 main event remains controversial to say the very least.

Daniel Cormier speaks about Renato Moicano vs Tom Nolan
Daniel Cormier speaks about Renato Moicano vs Tom Nolan (Image via MMA Fighting/UFC X Account)

Fans have complained about the sequence, and Daniel Cormier also gave his thoughts on the matter. The former UFC double champion revealed why the referee’s decision ruined the night for everyone.

I just hate that something like that, a referee error, ultimately cast a little bit of a shadow over what was a beautiful performance by Tom Nolan.

Daniel Cormier via UFC on Paramount+

While discussing the main event with fellow commentators, Laura Sanko and Dan Hellie, the UFC legend explained that taking the back of an opponent was extremely hard in MMA.

Moicano may have emptied his gas tank trying to keep Tom Nolan down. This was why ‘DC’ didn’t like Miragliotta’s actions and asked for better officiating of MMA bouts.

I just don’t think a ref should take anybody out of mount, ever. Should never take anybody off the back like that. I just don’t think you take those type of positions and change it. They’re just too dominant.

Daniel Cormier via UFC on Paramount+

It remains to be seen if Miragliotta releases some statement on why he stood the fighters up. Meanwhile, officiating still remains a problem in the UFC. Renato Moicano is not someone who will remain silent for so long. He will address the controversy later on at some point on his livestreams.

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