オーストラリアのトム・ノーランは連勝を6に伸ばし、キャリア最大の勝利を挙げた。ラスベガスで土曜の夜に行われたUFC Vegas 123のヘッドラインデビュー戦で、ブラジルのレナト・モイカーノを第3ラウンドTKOで退け、自身のプロモーションでのヘッドラインデビュー戦を飾った。
モイカノ（21-8-1）は序盤からグラップリングのリズムを作り、ボディキックの応酬に対して正確なレベルチェンジでノーラン（12-1）を第1ラウンドで地面へと運んだ。
ブラジル人は直ちにバックコントロールへ移行し、彼の得意技であるリアネイキッド・チョークを狙ったが、ノーランは落ち着きを保ち、ホーンが鳴るまで首を守り抜いた。
モイカノは第2ラウンドに再びタックダウンを決め、ボディトライアングルを仕掛けたが、審判ダン・ミルギャオッタが中盤のスタンディングを指示した後、ノーランが主導権を握った。
オーストラリア人は激しい連打でモイカノを揺さぶり、自身のテイクダウンを決め、ラウンド終盤の残り秒で試合を止める寸前まで持ち込んだ。
第3ラウンドに入るとノーランは開始直後から強力なパンチで仕事を成し遂げ、モイカノを一撃ずつ揺さぶった。モイカノは猛攻を止めようと必死のタックダウンを試みたが、ノーランはそれを切り返し、トップポジションを確保して連続の打撃を浴びせ続け、ミルギャオッタが1:28に介入するまで止まらなかった。
“Now, I understand the blueprint,” Nolan said on the post-fight broadcast. “I know how to systematically beat these guys.”
undefeated welterweight Jacobe Smith (14-0) delivered a dominant grappling performance in the co-main event, earning a lopsided unanimous decision over Jamaica’s Randy Brown (20-9) across three rounds. All three judges handed Smith identical 30-26 scorecards.
Smith neutralized Brown’s length and striking range right out of the gate, using explosive takedowns to put the veteran on the canvas and establish suffocating top control.
Brown couldn’t find space along the cage or create scramble opportunities, while Smith maintained heavy pressure and landed consistent ground-and-pound throughout the 15-minute contest. Smith kept his flawless record intact with the victory.
In a clash of seasoned flyweights, Cody Durden (19-11-1) used early grappling control to earn a unanimous decision over Jamaica’s Ode’ Osbourne (13-10), with all three scorecards reading 29-28.
Durden set the terms immediately, shooting underneath Osbourne’s strikes for an early takedown, slipping out of a guillotine threat and locking in a body triangle from back control.
After hunting for a choke and briefly attempting a twister, Durden transitioned into full mount and unleashed heavy strikes until Osbourne scrambled into top position just before the horn.
Durden reasserted his wrestling in the second round, driving the action back to the canvas and racking up vital control time. Osbourne surged in the final round by taking Durden’s back and chipping away with punches, but Durden stayed defensively sound, denying submission attempts and protecting his early lead.
Brazil’s Luana Santos (12-2) relied on persistent forward pressure and clinch control to earn a unanimous decision over Russia’s Yana Santos (17-9) in a grinding three-round bantamweight bout.
Cage control and grappling exchanges along the fence largely defined the fight. Luana closed the distance immediately in Round 1, hunting for judo throws, but Yana defended well against the fence and answered with short knees and elbows up close.
After referee Chris Tognioni ordered a mid-round separation, Yana briefly found her range on the outside before Luana closed the distance again. Luana dictated the terms across the final two rounds, controlling the positioning against the cage and doing enough inside the clinch to earn the nod from the judges.
Welterweight Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani earned his seventh straight win to open the main card, stopping Azerbaijan’s Farman Hasanov.
Ringside doctors determined that the damage from a barrage of strikes by Lebosnoyani to Hasanov’s left eyelid was enough to stop the fight at 2:11 of Round 3.
Lebosnoyani (12-2) handed Hasanov (6-1) his first professional loss with the TKO victory.
–Field Level Media
