‘Big Train’ calls for fight at UFC 305 in Perth after stunning first round TKO win

‘The Big Train’, Tom Nolan, is back on track in the UFC, scoring a wild comeback first round TKO win over Victor Martinez, and calling for spot at UFC 305 in Perth.

Tom Nolan finishes Victor Martinez. Picture: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

‘The Big Train’ Tom Nolan is back on track in the UFC, scoring a wild comeback first round TKO win over Victor Martinez in Las Vegas.

Coming off a one-minute knockout defeat in January in his UFC debut, Toowoomba’s Nolan was in trouble again early on, before stopping Martinez with 1:10 left in the first round of their lightweight showdown.

The win moves Nolan to 7-1 as a professional, and the 24-year-old wants to appear on the UFC 305 blockbuster in Perth in August.

Nolan celebrates his first round TKO win. Picture: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Nolan used height and reach advantage early on, connecting with jabs and kicks to the midsection.

After winning the opening three minutes, the southpaw Nolan was knocked down by a right uppercut, and Martinez jumped into his guard looking for a submission.

“I stayed pretty calm. In my last fight I got hurt, and felt the same way going down,” he said afterwards. “I wasn’t actually hurt, physically. I didn’t feel it. I was alright, I brushed it off.

“I handled it much better than that last one. There was a lot of pressure going into the last one, with everyone saying I was going to win by first round knockout.

The result is Nolan’s first win in the UFC. Picture: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

“There was a little bit too much pressure, but this time I’ve had my head down, off social media and working hard.

“This guy’s had more knockouts than fights I’ve had as a pro.”

The Aussie escaped Martinez’s submission attempts, and managed to regain his feet before sending the American down with a knee to the body.

Referee Mark Smith stopped the fight just seconds later as Nolan unleashed some vicious ground and pound.

Nolan wants to fight at UFC 305 in Perth in August. Picture: Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

“I heard him, he went ‘urghhh’,” Nolan said of the powerful knee that spelled the beginning of the end.

“I hit him with a good one to the head earlier in the fight and was close to finishing him and thought ‘this is the kill shot’

“I wasn’t quite comfortable with my big left (hand) – that’s what I thought I was going to do going in.

“He hit me with a clean one at the start, he had good Muay Thai boxing. I needed to open up a bit, but I knew I was going to take over.”

Originally published as ‘Big Train’ calls for fight at UFC 305 in Perth after stunning first round TKO win