UFC Vegas 123 Recap and Video Highlights: Controversial Stand-Up, Tom Nolan Stops Renato Moicano, Full Card Results, Post-Fight Press Conference and Social Media Reaction
By Real Combat Media MMA Editorial Staff
Las Vegas, Nevada, (October 31st, 2026)–Tom Nolan stopped Renato Moicano with punches and elbows at 1:28 of the third round in the UFC Vegas 123 main event at the Meta Apex, but the finish came after a controversial second-round stand-up by referee Dan Miragliotta, who restarted the fight while Moicano controlled Nolan’s back with a body triangle. Nolan (12-1) extended his winning streak to six and earned a $100,000 Performance of the Night bonus. In the co-main event, unbeaten Jacobe Smith dominated Randy Brown over three rounds, and Julian Erosa retired with a first-round knockout in his final fight. Debutants Lucia Szabova and Joe Kropschot also earned bonuses, and the card produced six finishes in 12 bouts.
Main Event Breakdown: Tom Nolan vs Renato Moicano
Moicano spent much of the first two rounds on Nolan’s back hunting for the rear-naked choke, and Nolan had to survive a dangerous opening 10 minutes. Late in the second round, with Moicano holding a body triangle and working for the finish, Miragliotta stood the fighters up for what was described as a lack of action. Nolan immediately landed a knee that badly hurt Moicano and followed with more strikes, and Moicano survived to the horn. In the third round, Nolan landed another knee and finished with ground and pound, including heavy elbows to the temple, forcing the stoppage at 1:28.
Nolan (12-1, 6-1 UFC) has now won six straight in the lightweight division and earned the biggest win of his career. Moicano falls to 21-8-1 (13-8 UFC) and has lost three of his last four. The result stands as an official TKO, but the conversation after the fight was as much about the stand-up as the stoppage.
Co-Main Event Breakdown: Jacobe Smith vs Randy Brown
Smith, who stepped in on short notice and fought for the second time in a month, took control early with calf kicks, put Brown on the mat and held him there for the rest of the first round. In the second round he stunned Brown with a right hook, scored an explosive takedown and bloodied him with short elbows from full mount. Brown could not find an escape, and all three judges scored the fight 30-26 for Smith. Smith improved to 14-0 and 5-0 in the UFC, and he asked the matchmakers for a Top 15 opponent next.
Main Card Highlights
Cody Durden def. Ode’ Osbourne: Durden used his wrestling to grind out a close flyweight decision (29-28 on all three cards).
Luana Santos def. Yana Santos: Luana outgrappled the veteran for a unanimous decision (29-28 on all three cards) and her fourth straight win.
Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani def. Farman Hasanov: Lebosnoyani opened the main card by targeting Hasanov’s left eye with a sustained barrage until a cut forced the ringside doctor to stop the fight at 2:11 of the third round. It was the first loss of Hasanov’s professional career.
Undercard Highlights
Dakota Hope def. Francis Marshall: Hope survived heavy leg kicks and took a split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) in the bout where Marshall had missed weight by two pounds.
Rodrigo Sezinando def. Theodor Berggren: Sezinando closed a competitive first round with a spinning backfist, then opened a gash on Berggren’s lip with an elbow in the second. The doctor stopped the fight at the end of the round.
Julian Erosa def. JeongYeong Lee: In the final fight of his career, Erosa was rocked early, then turned it around with a right hand and finished with ground and pound at 1:31 of the first round. The retiring featherweight earned a $100,000 Performance of the Night bonus and a memorable farewell.
Zachary Reese def. Mickey Gall: Reese threw body kicks all night and got the better of the exchanges for a unanimous decision (29-27 on all three cards).
Joe Kropschot def. Nick Klein: In his UFC debut, Kropschot reversed a takedown attempt, locked in an inverted triangle and finished with an armbar at 1:25 of the second round. He earned a $100,000 Performance of the Night bonus.
Piera Rodriguez def. Talita Alencar: Rodriguez out-struck the Brazilian for a unanimous decision (30-27 on all three cards), extending her winning streak to four and snapping Alencar’s three-fight streak.
Lucia Szabova def. Tainara Lisboa: The Oktagon two-division champion won her UFC debut with a third-round TKO (punches) at 3:20 and stayed unbeaten. She took home a $100,000 Performance of the Night bonus.
Post-Fight Press Conference
Nolan addressed the controversy head on at the post-fight press conference. He explained that when he was seen talking to Miragliotta during the second round, he was complaining that Moicano was hitting him in the back of the head, not asking for a stand-up. He said he had nothing to do with the referee’s decision, and that when he was told to stand up, he stood up. The UFC also announced the night’s performance bonuses at the press conference, and Nolan’s was among them.
Social Media Reaction
The stand-up dominated the reaction. UFC analyst Daniel Cormier, working the Paramount+ broadcast, said a referee should not break up a position that dominant and that the call casts a shadow over what was otherwise a strong performance by Nolan. Laura Sanko agreed that the position did not warrant a restart, and many fighters and fans criticized the call online.
Moicano took the high road. He congratulated Nolan, declined to blame Miragliotta and said “life goes on” in a video response, adding that he underestimated Nolan’s ability to defend submissions and needs to improve.
Bonuses
Performance of the Night bonuses of $100,000 went to Tom Nolan, Julian Erosa, Joe Kropschot and Lucia Szabova. No Fight of the Night was awarded. Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani and Rodrigo Sezinando each earned $25,000 finish bonuses.
Full Fight Card Results
Main Card
Lightweight: Tom Nolan def. Renato Moicano by TKO (punches and elbows), Round 3, 1:28
Welterweight: Jacobe Smith def. Randy Brown by unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-26)
Flyweight: Cody Durden def. Ode’ Osbourne by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Women’s Bantamweight: Luana Santos def. Yana Santos by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Welterweight: Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani def. Farman Hasanov by TKO (doctor stoppage, cut), Round 3, 2:11
Preliminary Card
Featherweight: Dakota Hope def. Francis Marshall by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Welterweight: Rodrigo Sezinando def. Theodor Berggren by TKO (doctor stoppage, cut), Round 2, 5:00
Featherweight: Julian Erosa def. JeongYeong Lee by KO (punches), Round 1, 1:31
Middleweight: Zachary Reese def. Mickey Gall by unanimous decision (29-27, 29-27, 29-27)
Middleweight: Joe Kropschot def. Nick Klein by submission (inverted triangle armbar), Round 2, 1:25
Women’s Strawweight: Piera Rodriguez def. Talita Alencar by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Women’s Flyweight: Lucia Szabova def. Tainara Lisboa by TKO (punches), Round 3, 3:20
Watch
UFC Vegas 123 Video Highlights: Scary Finishes
UFC Vegas 123 Post-Fight Press Conference
UFC Vegas 123 Social Media Reaction: Moicano Responds to the Miragliotta Controversy and Fighters React
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