Home » Sports » MMA

Tom Nolan dismisses controversial referee standup vs. Renato Moicano: ‘I think the truth is, that’s how it would have gone’

Tom Nolan doesn’t think Dan Miragliotta meaningfully changed the outcome of his fight with Renato Moicano. On Saturday, Nolan picked up the biggest win of his MMA career, stopping Moicano in the main event of UFC Vegas 123. Unfortunately, the…

By Jed Meshew · MMA Fighting

Published: Sunday, 1 November 2026 at 7:00 PM

Key Things to Know

Tom Nolan dismissed suggestions that a controversial referee standup altered the outcome of his win over Renato Moicano.
Referee Dan Miragliotta stood both fighters up in round two despite Moicano holding a back body triangle.
Nolan clarified he only spoke to Miragliotta to warn about illegal punches to the back of his head.

The Story in 60 Seconds

Tom Nolan defended his stoppage victory over Renato Moicano at UFC Vegas 123, dismissing claims that a controversial standup by referee Dan Miragliotta altered the fight's result. Miragliotta stood both fighters up in the second round while Moicano held a back body triangle, sparking backlash from fans and fighters after Nolan quickly capitalized to hurt his opponent.

Speaking post-fight, Nolan stated he only spoke to the referee to complain about illegal strikes to the back of his head rather than ask for a standup. Nolan argued that the fight would have ended the same way regardless, noting he defended well on the ground before eventually stopping Moicano.

Read the full article on MMA Fighting