Cormier Demands Penalty for Referee Miragliotta After UFC Vegas 123 Controversy

Daniel Cormier has called for referee Dan Miragliotta to face consequences following a controversial stand-up decision during the Tom Nolan vs. Renato Moicano fight at UFC Vegas 123. Cormier, who reviewed the incident, described the decision as one of the biggest officiating errors he has witnessed, according to NDTV Sports.

The controversial moment occurred in Round 2 when Miragliotta stood the fighters up, despite Moicano having back control and a body triangle locked in. Shortly after the reset, Nolan injured Moicano and secured a victory with punches and elbows at 1:28 of Round 3. Cormier, who worked as a color commentator at the event, observed the error from beside the Octagon. He argued on his YouTube channel that back control is a dominant position and should not be reset if a fighter is actively working, stating, “There was no stalling. He was not being timid. He was actually attempting to try to get to that position.”

Cormier stressed the need for accountability, asserting, "It is so clear that the mistake led to the change in the outcome that you have to have a penalty. Everybody else is held accountable. We're all held accountable for our actions." He added that "Nobody should be above that, officials included." Cormier believes the Nevada State Athletic Commission should remove Miragliotta from upcoming assignments, specifically mentioning a UFC event at the Apex and UFC 334 in New York, where a heavyweight title will be on the line.

Renato Moicano attributed Miragliotta's decision to crowd booing, telling Ariel Helwani that referees are human and susceptible to arena atmosphere. Moicano stated, “I was in a very hard position to get. I'm not saying I would win the fight; I cannot say that. But I can say that was wrong.” Despite accepting responsibility for not finishing from back control, Moicano called the stand-up a mistake but has opted not to appeal the result or seek punishment for Miragliotta. Tom Nolan, however, rejected the notion that the stand-up alone altered the fight's outcome, pointing out that Moicano took him down again after the reset before Nolan reversed position and secured the finish.

Following the fight, Nolan improved his record to 12-1 and moved to No. 7 in the UFC's lightweight rankings, while Moicano's record fell to 21-8-1, keeping him at No. 14. The controversy has drawn criticism from other prominent figures, including Joe Rogan, John McCarthy, and Michael Bisping. Rogan reportedly messaged Cormier, stating that "it's not a sport if refs can do that."

What to watch: The Nevada State Athletic Commission's decision on Miragliotta's future assignments.

Editor's note: Thorough reporting of Daniel Cormier's comments, Moicano and Nolan's responses, and surrounding reactions.