UFC Fight Night Recap: Halloween Went Off the Rails

Halloween in the cage: a card that scared more than a few résumés

On October 31, the UFC served us twelve fights: five KO/TKO finishes, one submission, and six trips to the judges. On the menu: undefeated fighters still standing, veterans looking their age, and a main event that didn't wait for the decision.

Coffee in hand, we break it down like we're at the bar, minus the peanuts. Quick note: we're sticking to official results, not strike stats, so we won't describe moments we can't back up. It's like the end credits: the result is on screen, and the rest is just replay.

🥊 The Main Event: Renato Moicano vs. Tom Nolan

Verdict: Tom Nolan defeats Renato Moicano by KO/TKO in Round 3, at 1:28, at Lightweight. No judges, no scorecards, no bureaucratic suspense. Nolan put his stamp on the fight that mattered most that night.

On paper, it was the rising young wolf (12-1-0) against the established veteran (21-8-1, 30 pro fights). The wolf ate. Nolan moves to 13-1 and plants his flag on the biggest win of his career. Moicano drops to 21-9-1, a setback that stings in his climb up the rankings.

We'll leave the exact play-by-play to the replays. What we know is that finishing a seasoned opponent in Round 3 doesn't happen by accident. Going forward, Nolan has a solid case for a name near the top of the division. In the UFC, a KO in the main event beats a well-polished résumé.

🏆 The Tops: Those Who Earned Their Risk Bonus

• Tom Nolan: KO/TKO R3 1:28 over Renato Moicano, in the main event, against the most established name on the card. Mission accomplished, no judges needed. When the script plays out like that, you applaud.
• Lucia Szabová: KO/TKO R3 3:20 win over Tainara Lisboa (7-5-0) at Women's Flyweight. She stays undefeated and improves to 14-0 by closing the deal. For a prospect, it's the best calling card of the night.
• Julian Erosa: KO/TKO R1 1:31 over JeongYeong Lee. The fastest KO finish on the card, delivered by a 32-14 veteran who didn't bother with a warm-up. Appetizer, main course, check, thanks, goodbye.

📉 The Flops and Disappointments: Those Who Should Have Stayed Down

• Randy Brown: lost by Decision (R3 5:00) to Jacobe Smith in the co-main event. He fell to an undefeated opponent, which hurts in the results column (20-9-0 going in). We're criticizing the result, not the man: at this level, one missed step costs you dearly.
• Mickey Gall: lost by Decision (R3 5:00) to Zach Reese. At 7-8-0 coming in, he was already below a 50% win rate, and this loss doesn't help. His place in the UFC is now a real question.

One detail to keep in mind: the co-main went to the scorecards, as did five other fights on the card. Six decisions out of twelve is half the night. We can't judge the intensity of every fight, but when it comes to finishes, the evening often left room for the judges.

Another curiosity: Rodrigo Sezinando beat Theodor Berggren by KO/TKO in Round 2 at 5:00. A stoppage right at the end of the round, which looks a lot like a stoppage between rounds, but we're sticking to the official result. The win is real, the staging is murky.

🎁 The Good Surprise: The Unexpected Ray of Sunshine

• Joe Kropschot: Submission R2 1:25 over Nick Klein at Middleweight. It's the only submission on the card, sandwiched between five KO/TKO finishes and six decisions. In a night of fists and judges, he brings some variety and a clean finish. The twist nobody saw coming.

In the end, it was a night where Nolan hit hard, Jacobe Smith kept his 0 (15-0 with a Round 3 decision win over Randy Brown), and several veterans had some hard questions to answer. Next up, eyes turn to the Lightweight rankings and to undefeated fighters like Szabová and Smith, who are asking for tougher opponents. Find all our UFC analysis on MMX.

Full card: Find all the articles on UFC Fight Night: Moicano vs. Nolan