Moicano accepts controversial UFC Vegas 123 loss but tells referee to 'go fuck himself'

Renato Moicano has ruled out filing an appeal with the Nevada Athletic Commission over his controversial TKO loss to Tom Nolan in the UFC Vegas 123 main event on October 31, but the Brazilian lightweight did not hold back when addressing referee Dan Miragliotta’s disputed intervention.

Moicano had Nolan’s back in the second round of their lightweight bout when Miragliotta inexplicably stood the fighters up without, according to Moicano, issuing any prior warning. Nolan capitalised almost immediately, landing a knockdown before finishing Moicano in the third round. The stoppage drew widespread criticism from the UFC broadcast team and a number of professional fighters.

“It caught me by surprise,” Moicano told MMA Fighting. “When he said, ‘Stand up,’ I don’t remember him giving any warnings. And even if he had given a warning… I’ve never heard of anyone being stood up from mount or from someone’s back. It was the first time I’d ever seen it.”

Moicano acknowledged that the call derailed his game plan and his composure. Having found Nolan’s submission defence stronger than expected in round one, he had settled on a strategy of repeated takedowns and back control — only for Miragliotta’s intervention to unravel it.

“I was clearly frustrated, and I got caught with some shots afterwards,” he said. “I came back for the third round and I wasn’t in a good place, but that’s it. It was the wrong decision, but it’s not going to change anything. I lost, that’s it.”

Despite his anger, Moicano stopped short of placing the blame entirely on the official. He said he would not request that Miragliotta be barred from officiating his future bouts, and directed much of his criticism inward.

“The next person I need to blame is myself,” Moicano said. “I should have finished that guy. That’s the truth. I’m better than that guy, but he defended well. I’m not going to file any complaint. I just need to focus on improving myself for my next fights.”

His parting words for Miragliotta, however, were unambiguous: “I want him to go fuck himself, him and everyone else. I don’t give a shit.”

Moicano flew back to Florida on Sunday and has now shifted his attention to what comes next in his career.