Moicano Chose Nolan Over Ortega For UFC Main Event — SkimNews
Get the Sports newsletter
Daily sports — scores, transfers, the storylines from the leagues you actually follow. Free.
- UFC Fight Night runs Saturday, Oct. 31, at Meta APEX in Las Vegas, with prelims at 5 p.m. ET and the main card at 8 p.m. ET on Paramount+ (plans start at $8.99/month or $89.99/year), with latest odds from DraftKings.
- Renato Moicano (21-7-1) earned the headline slot after knocking out Chris Duncan in April, but two "T-City" withdrawals left the Brian Ortega bout he had demanded empty-handed.
- Moicano said he asked for the Nolan fight to headline the UFC 332 card and deliberately gave Nolan the camp he said the 26-year-old needed after Moicano beat him on one week's notice, passing on a third Ortega fight.
- Tom Nolan (11-1) studied the body-triangle transition from Moicano's win over Benoit Saint Denis and says he will answer with ground and pound and elbows — "slicing and dicing" — against the fighter he grew up watching.
- Fares Ziam's subsequent loss takes some shine off the upset Nolan scored over him, leaving the 26-year-old's five wins and knockouts short of a signature result.
- Moicano is the pick by second-round submission: Nolan is especially dangerous in the first 10 minutes and a knockout would not surprise, but the fight is not expected to reach the championship rounds.
Why it matters: Moicano is the one handing out preparation: he asked for Nolan as a main event and gave him the full camp he said Nolan needed after losing on one week's notice. For the 21-7-1 veteran, that means his own fight-night edge rests on the body-triangle grappling Nolan studied from his Saint Denis win.
Ask SkimNews
