‘Big Nog’ predicts twin brother ‘Lil Nog’ will retire after next UFC fight

Jason Silva-USA TODAY Sports

Big Nog thinks his twin brother Lil Nog will call it quits after his fight in the UFC. Former UFC heavyweight ‘Minotauro’ Nogueira has told Brazilian reporters his twin brother ‘Minotouro’ Nogueira has just on…

MMA: UFC 237-Nogueira vs Spann

Jason Silva-USA TODAY Sports

Big Nog thinks his twin brother Lil Nog will call it quits after his fight in the UFC.

Former UFC heavyweight ‘Minotauro’ Nogueira has told Brazilian reporters his twin brother ‘Minotouro’ Nogueira has just one fight left on his UFC contract, and that he expects “Lil Nog” to hang up his gloves after that.

Nogueira (23-9) last fought at UFC 237 in May, losing to Ryan Spann by first-round knockout. The 43-year-old is 6-6 in his last twelve UFC fights, although only two of those fights have taken place in the last three years.

Speaking to Brazilian reporters on Wednesday at a media day for UFC Sao Paulo, ‘Minotouro’ said his twin brother pulled out of his upcoming fight with Trevor Smith due to an injury that left him struggling to train.

“Rogerio is announcing that his next fight should be the last in his contract, the last of his career,” Nogueira said (h/t AgFight). We were going on a seminar tour in China, and he was feeling this injury and couldn’t train well. (So he) announced he was withdrawing from the card. If he’s not 100 percent, being his last fight, the one that matters the most, to close his career well, he decided to try the card in February.” (Transcription via MMA Fighting)

“Big Nog” concluded by saying his brother expects to compete in his final UFC fight at a yet-to-be-announced UFC card in Brazil at some point early next year.