Renato Moicano explains decision to fight before twins arrive
The Brazilian accepted a matchup against Tom Nolan after realizing he might have to wait until 2027 to compete again.
Renato Moicano will headline UFC Vegas 123 against Tom Nolan on Saturday. The decision to accept the matchup was influenced by more than his desire to return to the Octagon. After his scheduled fight against Brian Ortega in September fell through, the Brazilian received a call from the UFC asking whether he wanted to compete on short notice. With his wife expecting twins in December, Moicano decided it was better to fight now rather than risk spending most of the following year away from competition.
Renato Moicano Wanted to Fight Before Twins Arrive
Before committing to the matchup against Nolan, Moicano took into consideration the timing of his family's upcoming changes. The Brazilian expects to spend several months adjusting to life with four children after the twins are born, which could significantly delay his next appearance if he did not compete on Saturday.
Speaking to Ag Fight, Moicano recalled receiving the news that his fight against Ortega had been canceled and explained how he decided to accept the opportunity with just over a month remaining before the event.
"Hunter called me on Friday, one week before the fight: 'Moicano, the fight fell through. What do you want to do?' I told him to give me some time to think," Moicano said. "I looked at the rankings and considered my situation. My wife is pregnant, and she's probably going to give birth in December. We're having twins. Once those babies arrive, I'll have four children, and I'll spend three or four months adjusting to this new dynamic. Whether I like it or not, I'll have to get involved, and that will take up some of my time."
The Brazilian estimated that turning down the opportunity could mean waiting until around the middle of 2027 to fight again. He also revealed that he had previously declined an offer to face Ortega in November in Qatar, as he did not want to risk another cancellation after their matchup had fallen through twice.
"So if I don't fight now, I probably won't compete again until almost a year from now, around the middle of 2027," Moicano said. "So I thought, 'I'm going to fight.' I specifically looked for this date because, with twins, the babies could arrive early. So the fight had to happen now."
Renato Moicano Explains Why He Chose Tom Nolan
With Ortega no longer an option, Moicano looked at the available names in the rankings and eventually requested a fight against Nolan. The Brazilian acknowledged that the 26-year-old Australian is a dangerous and aggressive opponent, but believes his style offers a favorable matchup for his own strengths.
"It wasn't what we wanted, but it's what we got," Moicano said. "That's what happened, and we'll have to overcome it. Tom Nolan is a tough and dangerous opponent, 26 years old. But I trust my training and my mindset. I want to go there and finish him on Saturday. I asked to fight Tom Nolan. I looked at the rankings and saw him, aggressive and young. However, he's a guy whose style makes sense for my game. I think my chances of imposing my game are very favorable. Of everyone who was available, he was the one who made the most sense."
Moicano and Nolan will meet in the main event of UFC Vegas 123 on Saturday at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas. The bout will mark the Brazilian's return to action after two planned matchups against Ortega fell through in 2026.
