Dana White backs Miragliotta's stand-up call that helped turn Moicano vs. Nolan

Dana White has publicly backed referee Dan Miragliotta over a stand-up call that drew widespread criticism during Renato “Money” Moicano’s third-round stoppage loss to Tom Nolan at UFC Vegas 123 on October 31.

The controversy centred on the second round, when Miragliotta intervened to restart the fighters on their feet while Moicano held Nolan’s back — a position widely considered dominant in grappling. Stand-ups from back control are extremely rare in MMA, and the decision drew immediate backlash from fighters and fans who felt Moicano was robbed of a scoring position.

White, however, was unequivocal in his support for the veteran official. Speaking at a media scrum, the UFC president argued that the rules are built around active damage and forward progress, not the mere holding of a dominant position.

“I don’t think it’s about dominant position,” White said. “It’s about, are you doing damage or not, trying to win the fight? Some of these guys are so good, they can f*cking take your back and ride it out for three rounds. The rules are, if you’re not doing damage or trying to advance your position, or trying to win the fight, you get stood up.”

White’s framing places the onus squarely on the fighter in control to actively pursue a finish or advance their position, rather than simply maintaining a hold. Under that interpretation, Miragliotta’s call was consistent with the letter of the unified rules, even if it cut against conventional wisdom about back control.

The stand-up remains a flashpoint in the broader debate over how referees apply activity rules in grappling exchanges. Moicano, a former top-ten lightweight contender, ultimately fell to Nolan by stoppage in the third round — a result that has only amplified scrutiny of the second-round intervention.