UFC Stars Blast Dan Miragliotta After Controversial Renato Moicano vs. Tom Nolan Fight
A few former UFC champions and many fans are not happy with how the UFC Vegas 123 main event played out.
This past weekend, in the headliner of the aforementioned fight night, Renato Moicano took on Tom Nolan.
The Brazilian was ready to put on a grappling masterclass as he understood the dangers of standing and trading with a fresh, surging contender like Nolan. Moicano decided to do what any smart mixed martial artist would do: force Nolan to fight a battle he didn't want to.
Moicano, who holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, decided to put his grappling skills to work. He used perfectly timed level changes to trouble the Aussie, took the 26-year-old down, and throughout the opening round, searched for a finish. Although he did not get one, Moicano still dominated the grappling exchanges and accumulated significant ground control time.
What Did Dan Miragliotta do in Round Two of Renato Moicano vs. Tom Nolan?
In the second frame, Moicano followed a similar approach. The 37-year-old once more had Nolan's back and looked to sink in a rare naked choke. However, referee Dan Miragliotta suddenly decided to take away Moicano's position and bring both fighters back to their feet.
Once the action resumed, Nolan rocked Moicano and started piecing him up on the feet.
In the third round, the Aussie managed to stun the Brazilian again, this time with a left hook before following up with a series of consecutive knee strikes.
Moicano desperately shot for a takedown to survive and briefly managed to take Nolan's back again. However, the former UFC title challenger had little left in the tank after absorbing heavy damage. During another grappling exchange, Nolan quickly switched positions, secured full mount, and unleashed heavy ground and pound to earn a TKO finish.
Fans and former UFC champions are dissatisfied with the referee's decision to stand the fighters up in Round 2 while Moicano had Nolan's back, believing that the controversial call significantly contributed to Moicano's knockout loss to "Big Train."
Former UFC Champs Blast Dan Miragliotta After Renato Moicano's TKO Loss
After UFC Vegas 123, former 17-pound titleholder Belal Muhammad posted on X, labelling referee Dan Miragliotta as a:
"Terrible ref."
Check out Belal Muhammad's comments below:
Former UFC double champion Henry Cejudo made a similar statement, saying Moicano should appeal the controversial stand-up and that Dan Miragliotta should be suspended.
Check out Henry Cejudo's reaction below:
Aljamain Sterling was also "blown away by the back mount stand-up," calling it:
"Absolutely terrible officiating!!"
Check out Aljamain Sterling's reaction below:
