Dana White hands undefeated Aussie star a UFC contract after he knocked out loudmouth rival who carried out stalking and bullying campaign for weeks
- An Aussie star has won a contract with the UFC
- Tom Nolan knocked out an Austrian rival
- He was victim of a stalking campaign for weeks
Undefeated Aussie star Tom Nolan has won a UFC contract after he knocked out an opponent who stalked him for weeks online.
Nolan, 23, is making waves in MMA circles after building an impressive record of five wins and no defeats ahead of his shot at the big time, was invited to compete on Dana White’s Contender Series.
Youngsters who impress the UFC boss are handed contracts to join the major MMA promotion, and Nolan was pitted against Austrian rival Bogdan Grad.
Nolan revealed before the fight that Grad had launched an intense online campaign against him, in which he would regularly comment on his Instagram posts, as well as sending him threatening direct messages.
But the 23-year-old let his fists do the talking in the cage, putting on a first round blitz to hammer his rival and prove he is the real deal.
An Aussie fighter has won a contract with the UFC following a big knockout victory
Tom Nolan stopped Austrian rival Bogdan Grad on Dana White’s Contender Series
Nolan dropped Grad in the first round with a massive left hook, then, when the Austrian was lying prone on the canvas, he followed up with another huge blow that knocked Grad out cold.
UFC commentator described the finish as ‘one of the most deadly shots I’ve seen in a long time.’
White was equally effusive in his praise of the Queenslander.
‘Tom Nolan I shouldn’t even have to say anything,’ White said when dishing out his UFC contracts.
‘But I’m going to… six foot, three, 155 pounds, he’s a straight killer.
‘Only 23 years old, the only thing I have to say about this kid is ‘you have a bright future Tom Nolan’.’
Reflecting on his win, Nolan said he knew he would finish Grad.
‘I knew this was going to happen,’ he said. ‘I saw it happening out the back. I was envisioning it, just throwing that left hand on the pad.
UFC president White believes the 23-year-old Queenslander ‘has a big future’
‘And it came to fruition. And I’m going to keep knocking people out.
‘It felt awesome, especially to do that to an opponent who has been trash talking me for weeks.
‘It couldn’t have been better. When I was younger, I dealt with some bullying and didn’t stand up for myself. Now, that’s not the case.’