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Sanchez Starched, Moicano vs Nolan Tonight, Makhachev Teases the End

Moicano and Nolan collide tonight in Vegas, Andrew Sanchez suffers a brutal knockout loss, and Islam Makhachev drops a bombshell about how much mileage he has left.

Sanchez Starched, Moicano vs Nolan Tonight, Makhachev Teases the End

Sanchez Starched, Moicano vs Nolan Tonight, Makhachev Teases the End

October 31, 2026

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Fight night is finally here in Las Vegas, but the biggest headlines today stretch well past the Octagon walls tonight. From a shocking first-round finish to a pound-for-pound king hinting at the finish line, here's what's moving in the sport right now.

Moicano vs. Nolan Headlines UFC Vegas 123

The UFC is back at the Meta Apex tonight for UFC Vegas 123, with Renato Moicano and Tom Nolan squaring off in a lightweight main event pitting the crafty Brazilian veteran against a rising Australian prospect. A win for Moicano keeps his reputation as a perpetual prospect crusher alive, while a win for Nolan would welcome him to the top tier of the division. The card features a mix of veteran and prospect matchups.

Sanchez Suffers Brutal Quick Finish

Former Ultimate Fighter winner Andrew Sanchez is in a rough stretch outside the Octagon, getting flattened in just 57 seconds for his third consecutive defeat. It had been five years since Sanchez suffered a knockout loss, that one coming at the hands of Bruno Silva.

Makhachev Teases Nearing Retirement

Islam Makhachev, ESPN's number one pound-for-pound fighter and the UFC welterweight champion, says fans shouldn't expect to see him around much longer, suggesting his next outing will rank among the final fights of his career. The champ won't be back in action until mid-2027, and the timeline has already drawn backlash since many expected him to defend the welterweight title against Carlos Prates at UFC 336 in January instead of waiting until after Ramadan.

New Light Heavyweight Matchup Booked

The UFC's December 5 Riyadh card is adding a notable light heavyweight pairing, with veteran Ion Cutelaba set to face unbeaten newcomer Magomed Tuchalov. According to reports, this matchup throws a UFC veteran against a recent promotional newcomer.

Gaethje Clowns a Clueless Fan

Justin Gaethje found himself filming a golf video when he ran into a fan who, according to reports, apparently had no idea who Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett were. Gaethje couldn't resist reminding the fan of that fact on camera, turning an awkward moment into one of the more entertaining viral clips of the week for two of the sport's most popular lightweights.

Sources

Every source behind today's roundup (19)

We summarize the day's news in our own words. Full credit to the outlets below for the original reporting, click through to read their work:

Open Scoring MMA is a daily AI-produced MMA and UFC news podcast. Listen to today's episode, read the full Feed, or get every episode by email.

Episode transcript

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Welcome to Open Scoring MMA, episode 135 for October 31st, 2026. Today's show is brought to you by Dealophant, from the team behind Open Scoring MMA. More on them in a minute. DUKE: Okay, we gotta start with a brutal one. Andrew Sanchez, former Ultimate Fighter winner, just got flattened in fifty seven seconds for his third straight loss.
NORA: Fifty seven seconds. That's barely time to throw a combination.
DUKE: It's been five years since he lost to Bruno Silva by knockout, and now this.
NORA: Three in a row is the kind of number that ends careers, Duke. Not just hurts them.
DUKE: Fans on X are already reacting to the finish, it's all over the timeline right now.
NORA: Yeah, and when an Ultimate Fighter winner gets dropped that fast outside the UFC, it's a rough reminder how thin the margins are once you're off the big stage.
DUKE: Tough watch. Let's move on though.
NORA: Renato Moicano versus Tom Nolan, lightweight main event, Meta Apex in Las Vegas.
DUKE: Moicano's the crafty veteran, Nolan's the up and comer trying to crash the top ten.
NORA: A win for Moicano keeps his run as a prospect crusher alive. Randy Brown is the experienced fighter, and Jacobe Smith is the hungry up-and-comer.
DUKE: Broadcast's on Paramount Plus, weigh ins already happened Friday.
NORA: The Moicano versus Nolan card is a good litmus test for both guys honestly.
DUKE: Switching leagues for a second, PFL Dubai just dropped its full fifteen fight card.
NORA: The PFL Dubai card is November fourteenth at the Coca-Cola Arena. Vadim Nemkov is on the card against Bilostenniy.
DUKE: PFL's fourth show in Dubai, first since the Most Valuable Promotions merger.
NORA: It's a big crossover play for them. Worth watching how that fight shakes out the heavyweight picture.
DUKE: And back in the UFC, Ion Cutelaba is reportedly booked against Magomed Tuchalov for December fifth in Riyadh.
NORA: That's a veteran against an unbeaten newcomer.
DUKE: Cutelaba's been around forever, so this is a real gatekeeper test for Tuchalov.
NORA: If Tuchalov handles that kind of experience, that's a signal he belongs.
Now on to the fighter news, and this one's a big one. Islam Makhachev says his next fight will be, quote, one of the last in my career, end quote. DUKE: Wait, Islam Makhachev, the pound-for-pound number one guy, is talking retirement already?
NORA: He's not fighting again until mid 2027. He's the welterweight champ, and he says there's only a handful left in him.
DUKE: That's wild. Everyone expected him to defend against Carlos Prates at UFC 336 in January.
NORA: Didn't happen. He's skipping that window entirely and waiting until after Ramadan.
DUKE: That's caused some backlash already, fans wanting him more active.
NORA: Sure, but if you're truly the pound-for-pound king, you get to pick your spots.
DUKE: I just don't love a champion ducking the calendar that long.
NORA: It's not ducking exactly, it's pacing a career near the finish line. Different thing.
DUKE: Fair. Still feels like the division's stuck waiting on him.
NORA: It is. Carlos Prates is left hanging until Islam Makhachev's ready.
DUKE: Let's shift to the women's side. Tainara Lisboa explains her flyweight move ahead of facing Lucia Szabova.
NORA: She's coming off back to back losses, to Luana Santos and Melissa Croden.
DUKE: So this flyweight drop for Tainara Lisboa is basically a reset.
Quick break for our sponsor. Dealophant shows the real price per unit on everyday Amazon buys, so you stop overpaying for the big box. It's free at dealophant dot com, and we may earn a commission if you buy. Now, back to the show. Now on to the callouts, and Duke, you're gonna love this one. DUKE: Finally, some Baddy content.
NORA: A Paddy Pimblett fan got checked by Justin Gaethje on a golf course for not even knowing they'd fought.
DUKE: Come on, how do you not know Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett fought earlier this year?
NORA: Gaethje's quote was blunt, he said, quote, I dog walked that motherf, end quote, we'll leave it there.
DUKE: Classic Gaethje. The guy's one of the most beloved fighters of the last decade and he's still out there trolling fans on golf courses.
NORA: It's good content, no stakes attached, but hilarious.
DUKE: And still love seeing Paddy Pimblett's name anywhere in the news, even secondhand like this.
NORA: The Baddy effect is real.
DUKE: Last one in this segment, Jean Silva naming his featherweight GOAT.
NORA: This comes right after Alexander Volkanovski's TKO win over Movsar Evloev at UFC 333, which reignited the GOAT debate at one forty five.
DUKE: And Silva's saying he's already talked to the UFC about a title shot.
NORA: Right, he says they invited him to Abu Dhabi, but he was clear, quote, what I don't accept is people saying I'm not next, end quote.
DUKE: That's a real callout. Jean Silva is putting it on Alexander Volkanovski directly.
NORA: If Volk ducks him it's a story, but Silva made clear this is on Volkanovski's decision, not the UFC's.
DUKE: Big stakes for the one forty five picture going into next year.
Now for the odds, Nora, give me the number on tonight's prelim scrap. DUKE: Alright, let's look ahead. Next Saturday it's UFC Fight Night, Cortes Acosta versus Walker.
NORA: Johnny Walker takes on Waldo Cortes Acosta in the main event.
DUKE: We're still waiting on official word about the co-main event, but we'll keep you updated as soon as we hear anything.
NORA: And then the following week, November fourteenth, it's UFC 334, Gane versus Hokit.
DUKE: Josh Hokit takes on Ciryl Gane in the main event. Huge stuff coming. Alright Nora, that's the show.
NORA: Tonight's the night for Moicano and Nolan, catch it live.
One more thing before we go. Islam Makhachev says his next fight is one of the last of his career. Is this the real farewell tour, or just leverage talk before UFC 336? And while you're here, two quick ones. Our free Fight Tracker is at tracker dot open scoring m m a dot com, with every upcoming UFC and PFL card, live odds, and where to watch, all in one place. And follow us on YouTube, just search Open Scoring MMA, for breaking news alerts, fight breakdowns, and videos you won't get here on the feed. That's it for today's Open Scoring MMA. Keep your hands up, and we'll see you next time.