Nolan Heads to the Top 10 as Moicano's Stock Falls

Renato Moicano lost the UFC Vegas 123 main event on Saturday, Oct. 31, to Tom Nolan, who knocked him out in round three. The defeat may cost Moicano, who had talked about free agency, some bargaining power, while Nolan should climb the rankings.

What the loss does to Moicano's options

Ahead of the fight, Moicano said he would not mind testing free agency. He had three fights left on his UFC contract when he said it. After the loss he has two.

The defeat leaves him 1-3 in his last four. The writeup says that is not the kind of run rival promoters look for in a signing. It argues that the loss hurts the "Money" he wants, in or out of the UFC, and that he must work harder to keep options open once the contract ends.

Nolan's biggest win

Nolan was ranked No. 11 at lightweight, and Moicano was No. 8. The win is Nolan's sixth in a row in the UFC. The writeup expects him to enter the top 10 and notes that he also earned a post-fight bonus.

The co-main event went to Jacobe Smith, who beat Randy Brown by unanimous decision.

Gall's losing run

Mickey Gall came in having lost four straight, and the writeup named him the fighter who most needed a win. Zachary Reese outclassed him over 15 minutes, extending the slide to five defeats in a row.

The writeup says that puts Gall at risk of being cut, and calls the UFC roster bloated. Whether the promotion will act is unknown.

Erosa retires with a finish

Julian Erosa fought for the last time and knocked out Jeong Yeong Lee in round one. Early on he looked close to being stopped. He survived, then landed his own finish seconds later and collected bonus pay. It closed an eight-year UFC career.

Our View

Rankings move on results, but contracts move on leverage, and Moicano lost some of his in one night. What matters next is whether the UFC offers him a quick return or lets his contract run down. For Nolan, the choice of a top-10 opponent may show how seriously the promotion takes his climb.

Source: MMA Mania