UFC Fight Night predictions -- Renato Moicano vs. Tom Nolan: Fight card, odds and expert picks for Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS -- The lightweight division is a battleground between stubborn veterans and prodigious new blood. Renato Moicano and Tom Nolan join the fray at UFC Fight Night on Saturday, taking place at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas.

Moicano (21-7-1) demanded money fights after dispatching hungry prospect Chris Duncan in April. Brian Ortega offered exactly what Moicano wanted; however, two "T-City" withdrawals left "Money" Moicano empty-handed. Uninterested in booking Ortega a third time, Moicano made the financially wise but competitively risky choice to headline opposite another eager contender.

"They offered the Nolan fight on the same card [UFC 332], and I said, Let's do a main event.' I have respect for Tom Nolan, and I think he needs time to have a camp," Moicano told CBS Sports. "It's one thing to beat him on one week's notice. I gave him that chance to be better prepared for this fight."

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"It's one thing beating Brian Ortega coming out of three losses or four losses," he said earlier in the interview. "Another thing is beating a 26-year-old guy coming off five wins, knockouts, and all that stuff. Very good. So, I think that shows that I'm still in the game."

Nolan (11-1) has not lost sight of the opportunity ahead of him. Quillan Salkilld, Paddy Pimblett and Salahdine Parnasse are among the young stars replacing the longstanding lightweight elite. Nolan can be part of a changing tide in the division by knocking off Moicano, whom he grew up watching. He's also uniquely equipped, having studied Moicano's win over Benoit Saint Denis as he prepared for his breakout fight against Fares Ziam.

"The way he used the body triangle to go between mount and back mount. I just thought it was a beautiful way to keep his hips facing the floor at all times," Nolan told CBS Sports. "There are only a few examples of it at a really high level to study, and you know, I'm a big believer in keeping up with the times and studying the sport."

There's no better way to honor a fighting legend than to take them out. If Nolan has it his way, he'll utilize some of Moicano's signature moves against him.

"Ground and pound. Some elbows would be very nice. Just slicing and dicing would be sick," Nolan said. "He's very good at that. I'd love to do that to him."

Let's take a look at the rest of the fight card with the latest odds from DraftKings before getting to a prediction and expert pick on the main event below.

UFC Fight Night card, odds

Renato Moicano -130

Tom Nolan +110

Lightweight

Jacobe Smith -258

Randy Brown +210

Welterweight

Cody Durden -118

Ode' Osborne -102

Flyweight

UFC Fight Night viewing information

Date: Saturday, Oct. 31  | Start time: 8 p.m. ET (Main card), 5 p.m. ET (Prelims)
Location: Meta APEX -- Las Vegas
TV Channel: Paramount+ (subscribe now for as low as $8.99 per month)

Prediction

Renato Moicano vs. Tom Nolan: One of the hardest things to predict in MMA is where an aging fighter's natural decline meets a younger opponent's rate of improvement. That's the dilemma on Saturday. Moicano looked refreshed after knocking out Chris Duncan in April, but now faces a scrappy, dynamic prospect 11 years his junior. Nolan has the tools to knock out Moicano, whose chin isn't the sturdiest. But Nolan's offense-first approach also leaves him vulnerable to mistakes against a savvy, seasoned opponent like Moicano. 

Expect a relatively short fight with momentum swings. Nolan is especially dangerous in the first 10 minutes, and a knockout shouldn't surprise anyone. But I'm not sold on his resume yet. His upset win over Ziam was impressive, though Ziam's subsequent loss takes some shine off the result. Moicano's recent resurgence inspired enough confidence to exploit openings. I don't see this reaching the championship rounds, and I suspect both men will have their moments before Moicano finds a submission. Pick: Moicano via second-round submission. 

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