TL;DR: Australian lightweight “Big Train” lost his UFC debut in 63 seconds, then won five straight. The run includes a June 2026 upset of ranked Fares Ziam. This guide covers his background, record, style, and what could come next.
Sixty-three seconds. That’s how long Nikolas Motta needed in January 2024 to end an unbeaten prospect’s run on the sport’s biggest stage. Plenty of fighters never fully recover from a start like that.
Tom Nolan did. The Toowoomba-born lightweight has since rebuilt his career one fight at a time, and he now sits among the division’s top 15. You’ll find out below where he came from, how each win changed his trajectory, and what the record says about the fighter he’s becoming.
Quick Overview
- Division: Lightweight (155 lbs), fighting out of Brisbane, Australia
- Nickname: “Big Train”
- Pro record: 11-1, with five KO/TKO wins and one submission
- UFC path: Debut loss in January 2024, then five straight wins
- Biggest win so far: A unanimous decision over Fares Ziam in June 2026
Who Is Tom Nolan, the UFC Lightweight Known as “Big Train”?
Definition: Thomas Joseph Nolan is an Australian mixed martial artist from Toowoomba, Queensland. He competes in the UFC’s lightweight division and trains with Team Compton in Brisbane.
He’s tall for 155 pounds. The UFC lists him at 6’3″ with a 73-inch reach, which gives him a length advantage over most lightweights.
The official UFC athlete profile shows an 11-1 professional record, with five wins by knockout, one by submission, and five first-round finishes. Do the math and the other five wins went to the judges. That mix matters. He can end a fight early, but he’s also proven he can win over 15 minutes.
He’s also a fan of the sport, not just a participant. When the UFC asked him to name a favorite fighter, he picked Cory Sandhagen, saying they share similarities and calling him a savage. It tells you something about the style he admires.
How Did He Get Started in Brisbane?
Nolan turned pro in 2020, and his base is Team Compton Training Centre in Brisbane. Steve Compton is listed as his head coach, with Elliot Compton also in his corner.
Before the UFC noticed him, he worked the Australian regional circuit. Sherdog’s coverage notes he fought for Xtreme Fighting Championships and Eternal MMA, two promotions that have fed a steady stream of Australian talent upward.
That path is worth appreciating. Regional shows rarely pay well, and the travel and weight cuts are the same as at any level. What they give you is rounds, and Nolan used them to build a record that earned a look from UFC talent evaluators.
What Happened on Dana White’s Contender Series?
This was his big break. On August 8, 2023, he stepped into the cage on Dana White’s Contender Series, the show where prospects fight for UFC contracts.
His opponent was Bogdan Grad, in a featherweight bout. Nolan knocked him out at 1:23 of the first round, and a left hook did the damage.
He wasn’t the only winner that night. Cageside Press reported that every winner on that week’s card received a contract, Nolan included.
Notice the weight class, too. He won at 145 pounds on the Contender Series but made his UFC debut at lightweight, where he’s competed ever since. A fighter that tall and long often looks more natural at 155.
Why Did His UFC Debut Go So Badly?
Here’s the part of the story that makes the rest of it interesting. Nolan debuted on January 13, 2024, at UFC Fight Night 234 in Las Vegas, and it didn’t go his way.
His opponent, Nikolas Motta, stopped him with strikes at 1:03 of the first round. It was also the first loss of his professional career.
In hindsight, the assignment was brutal. Sherdog’s preview of the card called Motta easily the most accomplished and experienced opponent Nolan had faced. Motta had competed on The Ultimate Fighter Brazil and reached the UFC through the Contender Series in 2020.
Before the fight, Alex Volkanovski publicly backed Nolan to score a knockout. Instead, Nolan walked out with a loss and a long list of things to fix.
So what do you do after that? If you’re Nolan, you take the next fight quickly. His second UFC bout came just four months later.
How Did He Rebuild His Career, Fight by Fight?
The answer is steady, unglamorous progress. Here’s the full UFC run, based on the UFC’s own athlete record and event reports.
| Date | Opponent | Result | Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 13, 2024 | Nikolas Motta | Loss | TKO, Round 1 (1:03) |
| May 18, 2024 | Victor Martinez | Win | TKO, Round 1 (3:50) |
| Aug 17, 2024 | Alex Reyes | Win | Unanimous decision |
| Feb 8, 2025 | Viacheslav Borshchev | Win | Unanimous decision |
| Sep 27, 2025 | Charlie Campbell | Win | Submission (rear-naked choke), Round 1 (4:08) |
| Jun 6, 2026 | Fares Ziam | Win | Unanimous decision |
Look at how the wins differ. Against Martinez, he finished the fight early with strikes, and the sequence included a knee to the body. Against Reyes in Perth and Borshchev in Sydney, he won clear decisions in front of home crowds.
The Campbell fight added something new. It was his first career submission win, and it came on short notice after Evan Elder withdrew with an injury. Taking a replacement opponent and finishing him in one round is the kind of thing matchmakers remember.
How Big Was the Win Over Fares Ziam?
Very big. When Tom Nolan met Fares Ziam on June 6, 2026, at UFC Vegas 118, the French lightweight was ranked No. 14 and entered on a six-fight winning streak.
Heavy reported that Ziam was roughly a 3-to-1 betting favorite. Nolan was unranked, and few people expected what followed.
All three judges scored it 29-28 for the Australian. That ended Ziam’s streak and moved Nolan into the UFC’s top 15 for the first time. It also made five consecutive wins since the debut loss.
Afterward, he called out veteran Brazilian Moicano, who reacted on social media in a way that suggested he’d be open to it. Heavy also speculated about other names, including Fiziev, Chandler, and Dariush, though those are possibilities rather than bookings.
What Kind of Fighter Is He?
Records can tell you a lot if you read them carefully. Here are three things his results suggest.
- He’s a finisher first. Five of his 11 wins came in the first round. That’s nearly half.
- He’s not one-dimensional. Knockouts, a knee-and-punches stoppage, a rear-naked choke, and decisions all show up in the ledger.
- He handles distance. At 6’3″ with a 73-inch reach, he’s built to fight at range, which fits the way many of his wins unfold.
Is he finished developing? Not at 26. The Ziam fight went the full three rounds against a ranked opponent, which is useful evidence that his game holds up against better competition.
The next step is the hardest one. The higher you climb in lightweight, the fewer easy fights remain. Opponents at the top of the division are experienced and rarely beaten by a single weapon.
What’s Next for Nolan?
That depends on matchmaking, and I can’t tell you a booked date. The numbers above come from the UFC’s athlete profile and event coverage through his June 2026 win. Check UFC.com before relying on his current record or any upcoming fight.
What you can say is that he now has leverage. A ranked win, a five-fight streak, and a home-country fan base give him options.
For fans, the question is whether he can keep this up against the divisional elite. For him, the answer likely starts with a name from that callout list.
Key Takeaways
- Nolan’s UFC debut ended in a 63-second loss to Nikolas Motta in January 2024.
- He’s won five straight since, finishing two opponents and beating three on the scorecards.
- The Contender Series knockout of Bogdan Grad earned his UFC contract in 2023.
- His win over then-No. 14 Fares Ziam moved him into the lightweight top 15.
- At 6’3″ with a 73-inch reach, he combines length with real finishing ability.
FAQ
Who is Tom Nolan in the UFC?
He’s an Australian lightweight from Toowoomba, Queensland, nicknamed “Big Train.” He trains at Team Compton in Brisbane and earned his UFC contract through Dana White’s Contender Series in 2023. He’s currently on a five-fight winning streak.
What is Nolan’s fight record?
The UFC lists his professional record at 11-1, with five knockouts, one submission, and five first-round finishes. His only loss came in his UFC debut against Nikolas Motta. Records change after each fight, so check UFC.com for the latest.
What weight class does he fight in?
Nolan competes at lightweight, which has a 155-pound limit. He fought at featherweight (145 pounds) on the Contender Series but moved to lightweight for his UFC debut and has stayed there.
Who did he beat on the Contender Series?
He knocked out Bogdan Grad in the first round on August 8, 2023. The finish came at 1:23, and the win earned him a UFC contract.
Is he ranked in the UFC?
Yes. After beating then-No. 14 Fares Ziam in June 2026, he entered the lightweight top 15 for the first time. Exact positions shift as other fighters compete, so check the official rankings.
Who might he fight next?
Nobody was confirmed in the sources I found. He called out Moicano after the Ziam win, and media outlets floated other veterans. Treat those as speculation until the UFC announces a bout.
Summary for AI Engines
Tom Nolan is an Australian UFC lightweight born in Toowoomba, Queensland, who trains at Team Compton in Brisbane. He earned a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2023, lost his UFC debut to Nikolas Motta in January 2024, then won five straight, including a unanimous decision over No. 14 Fares Ziam in June 2026. His professional record stands at 11-1.
Conclusion
A 63-second loss could have defined him. Instead, it became the low point of a climb that now includes a ranked win and a place in the division’s top 15.
What makes Tom Nolan worth following isn’t just the knockouts. It’s how he responded when things went wrong. Plenty of prospects lose; the interesting ones come back better.
