UFC Vegas 123 Preview: Moicano Faces Rising Australian Tom Nolan on Sunday Morning in Malaysia

Renato Moicano and Tom Nolan headline UFC Fight Night (UFC Vegas 123) at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas on Saturday 31 October. For fans in Malaysia it is a Sunday-morning card. The prelims start at 5am MYT on Sunday 1 November and the main card at 8am. The five-round lightweight bout pairs a 37-year-old former title challenger with a 26-year-old Australian on a five-fight winning run. Both men made weight at Friday's weigh-ins.

How the main event came together

The fight was first planned for September. According to Athlon Sports, Nolan agreed to face Moicano on a week's notice at UFC 331 after Brian Ortega pulled out. Moicano's team asked for more time to prepare, so the bout moved to Halloween night in Las Vegas. CBS Sports reported that Moicano had been trying to get a fight with Ortega, but two attempts at that match-up fell through.

Officially Moicano weighed 156 pounds and Nolan 155.5, both inside the lightweight limit for a non-title fight.

The veteran: Renato Moicano

The Brazilian is 21-7-1 overall and 13-7 in the UFC, and 11 of his wins are by submission. He lost to Islam Makhachev in a lightweight title fight in January 2025 and then to Beneil Dariush on a decision that June. He returned to winning ways in April 2026 with a second-round rear-naked choke against Chris Duncan.

The UFC says Moicano is defending his place in the division's top 10 on Saturday. Media outlets have quoted different ranking numbers this week, so his exact spot after the fight will depend on the next official update.

The challenger: Tom Nolan

Nolan is 11-1 and 5-1 in the UFC, and is ranked in the lower half of the lightweight top 15. His only professional loss was on his UFC debut against Nikolas Motta in January 2024, and he has won five fights in a row since. The latest was a unanimous decision over Fares Ziam on 6 June. Last Word on Sports reports that he trains at City Kickboxing in New Zealand.

This is Nolan's first UFC main event and his first scheduled five-round fight. At 6ft 3in he is about four inches taller than Moicano, but he has not yet been tested over 25 minutes in the octagon.

Rest of the card

The co-main event is a welterweight bout between veteran Randy Brown and unbeaten Jacobe Smith, who took the fight on short notice. The rest of the main card:

• Ode' Osbourne v Cody Durden (flyweight)
• Yana Santos v Luana Santos (women's bantamweight)
• Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani v Farman Hasanov (welterweight)

The prelims include Julian Erosa against JeongYeong Lee at featherweight. MixedMartialArts.com reports that the 37-year-old Erosa will retire after this fight, whatever the result. Yardbarker's weigh-in report lists Francis Marshall as missing weight for his featherweight bout with Dakota Hope.

Watching from Malaysia

In the US the full card streams on Paramount+. Broadcasters differ from country to country, so viewers in South-East Asia should check the UFC's official website or app for local coverage. On Saturday, Malaysia is 15 hours ahead of Las Vegas.

Key takeaways

• Moicano v Nolan headlines UFC Vegas 123 at the Meta APEX on 31 October US time.
• In Malaysia, the main card starts at 8am and the prelims at 5am on Sunday 1 November.
• Moicano, 37, is 21-7-1 and coming off a submission win over Chris Duncan.
• Nolan, 26, is 11-1 with five straight wins and is fighting in his first UFC main event.
• Julian Erosa's prelim bout with JeongYeong Lee is reported to be his last fight.

FAQ

Q: What time is UFC Moicano vs Nolan in Malaysia? A: The main card starts at 8pm US Eastern time on Saturday 31 October, which is 8am on Sunday 1 November in Malaysia. The main event is expected towards the end of the card.

Q: Why was the fight moved from UFC 331? A: Nolan accepted the fight on short notice for UFC 331 after Brian Ortega withdrew. Moicano's team wanted more preparation time, so it was moved to 31 October.

Q: Is this a title fight? A: No. It is a five-round non-title lightweight main event that could change the top-15 rankings.

Sources: UFC.com, Athlon Sports, CBS Sports, Yardbarker, MixedMartialArts.com, Last Word on Sports