UFC"Big Train" | Rank 14Tom Nolan Record: 11-1-0
LightweightRecord11-1-0
Age26
DivisionLightweight · #33
Combat Edge Elo1726
Last fightJun 6 2026
Tom Nolan has a 11-1-0 professional record and is 26 years old in the Lightweight division, representing Team Compton Training Centre. This profile tracks fight history, UFC stats, ELO rating, record, age, and opponent links.
Last updated Jun 19, 2026 · Combat Edge fight database
Tom Nolan bio
Personal background
Tom Nolan, nicknamed "Big Train," is an Australian lightweight competing in the UFC's 155-pound division out of Brisbane, Queensland. Born on March 8, 2000, Nolan came to combat sports as a teenager, starting training around the age of 14 partly for self-defense and partly to add wrestling to a background in rugby league. He committed fully to the sport, spending a stretch training on the Gold Coast before returning to Brisbane, and has since built a deep technical base, earning a Brazilian jiu-jitsu brown belt and a black rank in Muay Thai. He trains at Team Compton Training Centre under coach Steve Compton. Standing a towering 6'2" with a 73" reach, Nolan is exceptionally rangy for the lightweight division, a physical advantage he weaponizes with long striking and a smothering top game. His nickname traces to a video-game reference and a friend's nod to Thomas the Tank Engine.
Path to the UFC
Nolan turned professional in 2020 and rose quickly through the Australian regional scene, winning his first two bouts by decision before finding his finishing form under the Eternal MMA banner with three straight stoppages, including a second-round TKO of the 7-1 Adam Cook. That run earned him a spot on Dana White's Contender Series in August 2023, where he announced himself emphatically, knocking out the previously unbeaten Bogdan Grad with punches in the first round to secure his UFC contract.
UFC run
Nolan's introduction to the UFC was a harsh one. In his January 2024 debut he was stopped by punches in the first round against the experienced Nikolas Motta, the only loss of his professional career. He responded exactly as a prospect should. In May 2024 he dismantled Victor Martinez with a first-round TKO off a knee to the body and punches, then showed his rounds-winning depth in August 2024 at UFC 305, outpointing Alex Reyes over three rounds. He kept rolling at UFC 312 in February 2025 with a unanimous decision over Viacheslav Borshchev, then returned to the finishing column in September 2025 with a first-round rear-naked choke of Charlie Campbell. His biggest scalp came in June 2026, a three-round unanimous decision over the seasoned Fares Ziam, extending his post-debut win streak to five and lifting his record to 11-1.
Fighting style
Nolan is a long, well-rounded finisher who uses his height and 73" reach to control distance and his diverse stoppage portfolio to end fights in any phase. His finish breakdown is balanced – five knockouts, one submission, and five decisions across his career – and he has demonstrated genuine threats standing and on the mat, from the head-snapping power that flattened Grad and Motta to the rear-naked choke that finished Campbell. As his competition has stiffened, he has shown the maturity to win clear decisions over experienced opponents like Reyes, Borshchev, and Ziam rather than forcing the finish. The one cautionary note remains his lone loss, a first-round knockout to Motta that exposed the risk of trading early before settling in; since then, his composure and shot selection have visibly improved. At just 26 and rangy for the division, he profiles as one of Australia's most promising lightweights.
Career highlights
- Contender Series knockout — flattened the unbeaten Bogdan Grad in the first round in 2023 to earn his UFC contract.
- Five-fight win streak — rebounded from his debut loss with five straight victories, mixing first-round finishes with clear decisions over ranked-level opposition.
- Signature win over Fares Ziam — outpointed the experienced Fares Ziam in 2026, his most accomplished opponent to date.
Career snapshot
Tom Nolan career snapshot
EloCombat Edge Elo
1726Good ratingElo trajectory (last 3 years)
Overall#240
Lightweight#33of 204 active
Peak1726
Last move+17
Opponent quality1605avg. pre-fight Elo · last 10
Career-high 1726 Elo after defeating Fares Ziam (2026-06-06)
Similar Elo in Lightweight
Tom Nolan quick answers
What is Tom Nolan's record?
Tom Nolan's professional MMA record is 11-1-0.
How old is Tom Nolan?
Tom Nolan is 26 years old.
What weight class is Tom Nolan?
Tom Nolan fights at Lightweight in UFC.
How tall is Tom Nolan?
Tom Nolan is 6'2" tall with a 73" reach.
How much does Tom Nolan weigh?
Tom Nolan competes at Lightweight, with a most recent weigh-in of 155 lbs.
What is Tom Nolan's Combat Edge Elo?
Tom Nolan's Combat Edge Elo is 1726, with a peak Elo of 1726.
How strong is Tom Nolan's recent opposition?
Tom Nolan's latest 10 counted opponents averaged 1605 Elo immediately before their fights. This avoids using opponents' later career results with hindsight.
When was Tom Nolan's last fight?
Tom Nolan's latest tracked pro fight was against Fares Ziam at UFC Fight Night on Jun 6 2026.
What is Tom Nolan's recent form?
Tom Nolan's recent tracked pro form is W-W-W-W-W over the latest 5 decisive pro results.
How does Tom Nolan usually win?
Tom Nolan's 11 recorded wins include 5 knockouts, 1 submissions, and 5 decisions, with 55% ending before the final bell.
5Wins by knockout
1Wins by submission
5Wins by decision
1Loss by knockout
0Loss by submission
0Loss by decision
Tom Nolan stats
Record : 11 / 1 / 0Significant strikes landed per minute
5.87Fighter3.07Division average
Significant striking accuracy
46%Fighter43%Division average
Significant strikes absorbed per minute
4.73Fighter3.89Division average
Significant strike defenseThe % of opponents strikes that did not land
48%Fighter53%Division average
Average takedowns landed per 15 minutes
0.74Fighter1.59Division average
Takedown accuracy
22%Fighter35%Division average
Takedown defenseThe % of opponents TD attempts that did not land
71%Fighter51%Division average
Average submissions attempted per 15 minutes
1.86Fighter0.66Division average
Pro fight history
ResultOpponentMethodTimeRoundEventDateFight details
Amateur fight history
ResultOpponentMethodTimeRoundEventDateFight details
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