Renato Moicano returns to the spotlight on short notice this Saturday, October 31, 2026, headlining UFC Vegas 123 at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada, against unbeaten-streak lightweight Tom Nolan. The matchup fills in for a Brian Ortega rematch that collapsed for the second time this year.
A Rematch That Would Not Happen
Moicano has lost only a handful of times in his career, and the first of those defeats came against Brian Ortega. Back in 2017, a then-undefeated Ortega submitted Moicano with a guillotine choke, snapping the Brazilian’s 12-fight unbeaten start as a pro. After submitting Chris Duncan on April 4, 2026 at UFC Vegas 115, Moicano called for the rematch during his post-fight interview, saying he had unfinished business with Ortega and that he had been winning their first fight before the tap. He made clear he wanted to settle the rivalry for good this time around.
The rematch was first targeted for UFC 326, then rebooked for UFC 331 on September 19. Ortega got hurt in training ahead of each date, pulling out of UFC 326 because of nagging injuries and then withdrawing from UFC 331 after a cut above his right eyebrow needed stitches. Ortega described the latest pullout as painful in a brief statement afterward. Since beating Moicano in 2017, he has gone 4-5, with two unsuccessful title challenges along the way. Originally booked for a numbered pay-per-view, the fight now heads a non-numbered Fight Night card instead, though it keeps its main-event billing for Moicano.
Moicano’s Case for Another Finish
With no opponent left for the rematch, the UFC turned to Tom Nolan. Moicano, a Brasília native, enters at 21-7-1 and sits at No. 12 in the UFC lightweight rankings. He has won 10 of his 16 fights since the Ortega loss, including one title shot. He finished Duncan by rear-naked choke at the 3:14 mark of the second round back in April, the kind of highlight-reel ending he will be looking to repeat against Nolan. Saturday’s headliner is his fourth as a UFC main eventer and his second of 2026, following the April win over Duncan.
Nolan Brings a Five-Fight Streak to His First Main Event
Across the cage, Australian Tom Nolan carries an 11-1 record and the No. 14 spot in the same division. He has won five straight, most recently a unanimous decision over Fares Ziam on June 6, 2026, a result that put him in position for his first UFC headlining assignment. Saturday marks the first time Nolan headlines a UFC card. A win would be the biggest of his career and would push him closer to the lightweight top 10, while a Moicano victory would confirm his bounce-back from the Ortega letdown.
The Rest of the Card and How to Watch
The co-main event also carries a short-notice storyline of its own. Undefeated welterweight Jacobe Smith (13-0, four UFC fights, all finishes) stepped in after Carlos Leal withdrew from his scheduled bout with Randy Brown due to injury. Smith’s last outing was a first-round knockout of Bruce Whitehead at UFC 332 on October 3. Brown, an American at 20-8, has fought in the UFC since 2016 and enters on a two-fight skid, with losses to Gabriel Bonfim and Kevin Holland. The main card also features a flyweight bout between Ode Osbourne and Cody Durden and a women’s bantamweight matchup between Yana Santos and Luana Santos.
The preliminary card adds a featherweight bout between veteran Julian Erosa and JeongYeong Lee, plus another between Francis Marshall and Dakota Hope. At welterweight, Rodrigo Sezinando meets Sweden’s Theodor Berggren, and middleweight is covered by Zachary Reese against Mickey Gall and Nick Klein against Joe Kropschot. Two women’s bouts round out the card: Talita Alencar against Piera Rodriguez at strawweight, and Lucia Szabova against Tainara Lisboa at flyweight.
Prelims start at 5 p.m. ET (2 p.m. PT, 4 p.m. CT, 3 p.m. MT), with the main card at 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT, 7 p.m. CT, 6 p.m. MT). The full card streams on Paramount+ in the United States. In the UK the main card begins at midnight, and fans in Central Europe can catch it at 1 a.m.
The UFC rankings and the 2026 UFC schedule are both updated after every event, and the full fight card tonight is tracked live on mma-official.com.
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