Eric Nolan stops Court McGee in third round as veteran retires in front of home crowd

Court McGee’s final walk to the octagon ended in a third-round stoppage loss to Eric Nolan in the opening bout of UFC 332, bringing the curtain down on a 16-year UFC career in front of his home-state crowd.

McGee started well, using pressure boxing and wrestling to control the early exchanges. Nolan cracked him just before the end of the first round, leaving McGee momentarily stunned, but the veteran recovered and continued to press in the second as Nolan appeared to be fading.

The decisive moment came in the third. Nolan found a second wind and repeatedly tagged McGee, who could not secure a takedown to relieve the pressure. One right hand hurt McGee badly, sending him into survival mode. He nearly held on until the final bell, but Nolan kept coming and eventually crashed him to the canvas with another right hand to force the stoppage.

After the bout, McGee addressed the crowd in a brief post-fight speech that drew a warm reception from the arena.

“Thank you to everybody who came,” McGee said. “Listen, none of this would be possible — 20 years I got sober, and 16 of those I’ve been fighting the best guys in the world. My hat’s off to Eric. I left everything in this cage every time I fought. I grew up 20 miles from here. Don’t let anybody tell you you can’t achieve your dreams.”

McGee closes his MMA career with a record of 22-15. Despite the result, the occasion carried clear weight for those inside the arena, and the UFC marked his retirement with a video tribute as he left the cage.