UFC fighter and BJJ black belt Antonio Rogerio Nogueira will likely be pulling the curtain on his professional MMA career at UFC 250 when he faces Mauricio “Shogun” Rua.
The 43-year-old told MMA Fighting, “This fight will probably be the last fight of my career — my farewell fight. So being able to have this rematch with ‘Shogun’ is both challenging and motivating. I thank Shogun for giving me this opportunity. I’m sure we’ll put on a great fight again.”
This will be the third time that Nogueira and Rua have faced each other; both fights ended in victories by unanimous decision for Rua. The two first fought all the way back in 2005 for PRIDE FC, and their most recent matchup happened in 2015. The trilogy fight will be a fine way for Nogueira to make his exit from the sport.
Rumors have been circulating about the MMA legend’s impending retirement since he withdrew from his fight against Trevor Smith due to a back injury. UFC 250 will also mark the last fight of Nogueira’s contract with the UFC, and while the MMA world will be sad to see him go, the announcement will come as a shock to very few who have followed his career.
UFC 250 will take place on May 9 in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
