MMA legend Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira hospitalized due to flu-like symptoms

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Former UFC interim heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira felt sick while at the beach in Brazil. Former UFC interim heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo N…


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Photo by Buda Mendes/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Former UFC interim heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira felt sick while at the beach in Brazil.

Former UFC interim heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira had a scare while taking the edge off at a scenic location in Ceara, Brazil. Per Globo Esporte, ‘Minotauro’ was at a popular tourist attraction Jericoacoara beach, when he started feeling flu-like symptoms and was rushed to the local emergency room.

After initial treatments, Nogueira made an ambulance trip to Sobral’s, a larger town, hospital and was treated under the COVID-19 protocol, given his symptoms. The 44-year-old was taken care of with saline and oxygen while there. Later on, he moved to state capital of Fortaleza for further treatment. So far, it is unclear whether or not he is infected with the coronavirus, but is still under observation.

“Big Nog” (34-10-1-1 NC) retired from MMA in 2015, when he dropped a unanimous decision to Stefan Struve at UFC 190. During his stellar career in both UFC and PRIDE, Nogueira scored wins over some of the biggest names in MMA, such as Mirko Cro Cop, Dan Henderson, Mark Coleman, Fabricio Werdum, Randy Couture and Josh Barnett, among others.