UFC Vegas 123 sees two new MMA stars emerge
These smaller UFC Fight Night cards are intended for two purposes: One, to give Paramount+ constant UFC content every weekend, and two, to create new stars in MMA.
The UFC Vegas 123 card, which took place on Halloween night 2026, accomplished both of those goals.
Related: UFC Vegas 123 predictions for Moicano vs. Nolan
In the main event of the evening, rising lightweight Tom Nolan won his sixth straight fight when he knocked out Renato Moicano in the third round.
And in the co-main event, Jacobe Smith stayed undefeated with a dominant unanimous decision win over veteran Randy Brown.
Two fights, two big stars created. So, let’s talk about them.
Tom Nolan Wins UFC Vegas 123 Headliner in Controversial Fashion
The 26-year-old Aussie Nolan won his sixth straight fight inside the Octagon with a third-round knockout win over Moicano, in a fight that drew the ire of UFC fans watching everywhere.
But it wasn’t anything that Nolan did.
It was the referee who screwed up, as referee Dan Miragliotta changed the outcome of the bout when he stood Moicano up from a dominant position in the second round, a mind-boggling decision that no one who knows MMA can understand.
That being said, it was not Nolan’s fault that the referee made an error, and he did his job by beating Moicano.
By taking out the veteran by stoppage, Nolan should earn himself a fight against another top-10-ranked opponent his next time out, and he’s said that Mateusz Gamrot is someone he is interested in fighting.
We’ll see what the UFC matchmakers ultimately decide to do with Nolan, but given he is just 26 and has now won six straight fights, he’s another star on the rise who can be a staple of the UFC lightweight division for many years to come.
It will be interesting to see who he fights next, but one thing is for sure, and that’s that Nolan will get a top-10-ranked opponent after taking out Moicano by stoppage at UFC Vegas 123.
Could Jacobe Smith Be a UFC Welterweight Champion?
At 30 years of age, Smith is now 14-0 in his MMA career following his unanimous decision win over Brown at UFC Vegas 123.
Smith’s first four wins in the UFC were by stoppage, so while it was somewhat disappointing not to see him get another finish here against Brown, it was also kind of a good thing, because it showed that he can go a full 15 minutes of hard-fought MMA action without slowing down and still come out on top with the win.
Following UFC Vegas 123, Smith called out Kevin Holland for a fight, and it makes a lot of sense, as these two were originally paired up at UFC Oklahoma City this summer before Holland withdrew due to an injury and the fight fell apart.
While I still have some questions about Smith, there is no doubt that he is a very good, talented, and young fighter on the rise who is talented at fighting in the cage and who knows how to talk on the mic.
He was absolutely one of the big winners at UFC Vegas 123, and it is going to be interesting to see who the UFC matchmakers give him next, as Smith is certainly ready for a top-15 opponent after his dominant win over Brown.
Could that be Holland, or perhaps someone even higher ranked? We’ll see who the UFC matchmakers give to him, but one thing’s for sure, and that’s from here on out, Smith will only be fighting ranked competition after emerging as a star at UFC Vegas 123.
This story was originally published by Lindy's Sports on Nov 1, 2026, where it first appeared in the Other Sports section. Add Lindy's Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.