Tom Nolan kept his promise to Cory Sandhagen with a knockout to earn UFC contract

Before him
Dana White Candidate Series Appearing in 2023, Nolan sent a message to Sandhagen and promised to knock out his opponent using one of the techniques he learned. The Australian lightweight said he fulfilled that promise when he quit Bogdan Grad
earn an
Ultimate Fighting Championship contract.

Tom Nolan recalls using Cory Sandhagen’s “dart throw” to knock out Bogdan Grad at Dana White’s Contender Series.

Before his first UFC main event Renato “Money” Moicano at
UFC Vegas 123 At Meta Apex in Las Vegas, Nolan explained how he incorporated Sandhagen’s “dart throw” into his performance.

“I texted Cory before my Contender Series knockout,” Nolan said in a pre-fight interview. “I took his online course. I texted him and said, ‘Hey, I’m fighting in the Contender Series in two weeks and I’m going to knock this guy out with one of your techniques.’ And I actually used the darts that he teaches.

After earning his contract at DWCS, Nolan (11-1) suffered his only professional loss in his UFC debut in 2024. Since then, he has won five consecutive fights.