Eric Nolan

Nolan's UFC debut ended in the second round when Susurkaev found the rear-naked choke, cutting short the CFFC surge that had just earned him the contract. The result mattered because it reminded everyone that Nolan's regional offense was real, but his defensive transitions still had to hold up against a higher level of opponent.

Key moments

• The submission came at 2:01 of round two.
• Nolan was finished by the same method he had used for two of his own pro wins.
• It served as his first Octagon result before the Hasanov matchup in Baku.

Nolan avenged a prior loss to Richards by knocking him out in the opening round, which is the sharpest single result on the regional side of his file. Turning around a previous submission defeat with a first-round knockout was a strong indicator that his offense had taken a real step forward by 2025.

Key moments

• The rematch ended in round one at 3:06.
• Nolan reversed the earlier Blayne Richards result with a clean knockout win.
• It gave him three straight knockout victories entering the UFC.
• The finish was also his final regional fight before the Susurkaev booking.

The knockout showed he did not need an instant finish to stay dangerous; the threat still held after a full round of work.

Key moments

• The knockout came at 1:17 of round two.
• It was Nolan's second straight KO win in CFFC.
• The fight followed the first-round finish of Aireon Tavarres two months earlier.

Nolan bounced back from the Blayne Richards loss by finishing Omoyele Gonzalez with a rear-naked choke in the second round. The win mattered because it showed he could recover immediately from his first stoppage defeat and because it gave him a second professional victory by the same submission.

Key moments

• Nolan found the rear-naked choke at 3:06 of round two.
• It was his first fight after the submission loss to Richards in April 2023.
• The finish gave him another professional win by rear-naked choke.

Richards handed Nolan a second-round submission loss in Philadelphia, giving him his first stoppage defeat as a pro. The fight became more important later because Nolan eventually got the rematch and knocked Richards out to win the CFFC welterweight title in 2025.

Key moments

• The rear-naked choke finish came late in round two at 4:41.
• It was Nolan's first professional loss inside the distance.
• Nolan ultimately avenged this result with a first-round KO in their 2025 title fight.

Coming eight months after the Ty Cole Miller split decision, the finish showed his game was opening up beyond the decision and submission lanes from his first two outings.

Key moments

• The stoppage came with only six seconds left in round two at 4:54.
• It was Nolan's first professional win by knockout.
• The result pushed him back over .500 after the Ty Cole Miller loss.
• He followed it with another finish in 2023, submitting Omoyele Gonzalez by rear-naked choke.

Nolan earned his first professional finish by taking Ibrahim Kallie out with a first-round rear-naked choke at CFFC 112.

Key moments

• Nolan finished the fight 2:32 into the opening round.
• The rear-naked choke was his first professional stoppage win.
• The win gave him his first pro submission before later adding another against Gonzalez.

Nolan's second pro fight ended in a split-decision loss to Ty Cole Miller after three rounds in Atlantic City.

Key moments

• The judges were split after a full three-round fight.
• It was Nolan's first professional loss.
• The bout came only one fight after his successful pro debut against Shane WhiteEagle.
• He answered the setback by submitting Ibrahim Kallie in his next appearance.