Tom Nolan credits Joshua Van for surviving before UFC Vegas 123 TKO

The Australian lightweight said Van’s composure on the ground helped shape his approach to defending Moicano’s back control. Moicano repeatedly took Nolan down and threatened to choke in the opening two rounds of the main event on October 31, but Nolan withstood the threats and eventually won the match.

Tom Nolan explains how Joshua Van’s composure against Alexandre Pantoja helped him withstand Renato Moicano’s fightback

Following Van’s example, Nolan was prepared to defend from difficult positions and believed that his shot would eventually bring the situation rather than taking unnecessary risks.

“I got a lot of inspiration from Joshua Van’s performance,” Nolan said in a clip posted by the UFC to Paramount+. “I thought she looked great with similar issues.”

Nolan recalled how Van handled Pantoja’s takedowns and ground control during their UFC 331 flyweight title rematch in September. He was impressed by the champion’s composure despite criticism of his willingness to stay grounded.

“I was like, you know what, when I’m in it, I can’t think like that. I can’t worry about what other people say,” Nolan said. “I understand it can be boring if he’s on me for three minutes or whatever, but I’m playing the long game.”

Van retained his title by unanimous decision after five rounds. Nolan used this example as a reminder that he had 25 minutes to find options rather than risk a costly mistake in an escape attempt. Nolan survived Moicano’s onslaught before finishing him with a TKO at 1:28 of the third round.