UFC Awards 4 $100K Bonuses at Vegas 123 as Tom Nolan Extends Streak to 6

Q: Did Tom Nolan prove he’s a true lightweight contender, or did a controversial stand-up change everything against Renato Moicano?

Tom Nolan strengthened his case as a real lightweight contender, but the controversy around the Round 2 stand-up will remain part of the story. Up to that moment, Renato Moicano was winning the fight. He controlled Round 1 with takedowns and prolonged back control, then regained the same dominant position in Round 2. Referee Dan Miragliotta’s decision to stand them up for inactivity was highly unusual because Moicano still had back control with a body triangle, even if he was not doing major damage. Many observers viewed that restart as the fight’s key turning point. What Nolan did after the restart still matters. He immediately capitalized with a head kick, then hurt Moicano badly with a knee and follow-up strikes before finishing him in Round 3 with another knockdown and sustained ground-and-pound. That sequence showed poise, timing, power and the ability to seize a narrow opening against a proven top-10 veteran. He also survived difficult grappling spots for more than a round, which is meaningful against a fighter of Moicano’s caliber. The fairest reading is that Nolan did not deliver a clean, controversy-free validation as a top lightweight, because he was clearly being outgrappled before the stand-up. But he also did not simply luck into the win. He punished the opportunity instantly and decisively, then closed the show. The result puts him firmly in contender discussions, even if a rematch or another top grappler would be the clearest way to remove any doubt.

Q: After Jacobe Smith’s 30-26 domination on short notice, how quickly should the UFC test him against ranked welterweights?

The UFC should move Smith to a ranked welterweight next, but not rush him straight into the top 10. A matchup with someone in the No. 10-15 range in his next outing is the right test. The case for that jump is strong. Smith is now 14-0, 5-0 in the UFC, and he just dominated Randy Brown 30-26 across all three scorecards on short notice. Brown is not an elite contender, but he is an experienced, durable veteran who has consistently served as a reliable measuring stick at 170 pounds. Beating him that decisively, after already stopping Preston Parsons, Niko Price, Josiah Harrell and Bruce Whitehead, suggests Smith has outgrown prospect-level matchmaking. At the same time, the UFC should be careful not to skip steps. Much of Smith’s rise has come through quick finishes, and Brown was his clearest look yet against a seasoned opponent over three rounds. That was useful evidence, but one dominant decision over a veteran is not the same as beating an established ranked contender. The division is deep, with names around the back end of the rankings such as Kevin Holland, Daniel Rodriguez, Mike Malott and Uros Medic representing appropriate next tests depending on availability. What matters now is timing. Smith has shown he is willing to fight often and on short notice, so the UFC should capitalize while his momentum is hot and book him against a ranked opponent within the next three to four months. If he wins that, the top 10 conversation becomes immediate and legitimate.

3 articles · Updated · Yahoo Sports · Nov 1

$100,000 performance bonuses went to Tom Nolan, Julian Erosa, Joe Kropschot and Lucia Szabova after UFC Vegas 123 in Las Vegas.
Nolan anchored the card by stopping Renato Moicano via main-event TKO, stretching his UFC winning streak to six.
Erosa capped his career with a first-round comeback knockout in a retirement fight, while Szabova scored a TKO in her UFC debut and Kropschot won by second-round inverted triangle armbar.
$25,000 finish bonuses also went to Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani and Rodrigo Sezinando, both after doctor's stoppages on the Halloween card.