‘Minotauro’ Nogueira not ready to commit to retirement yet

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Dana White had a quick chat after UFC 190, and it sounded like the heavyweight legend would call it quits following the unanimous decision loss to Stefan Struve. However, it looks like “Minotauro” has yet to make a final decision.

The UFC president said at the post-fight press conference that he didn’t want to see him fight again and that Nogueira didn’t disagree. Three days later, “Minotauro” explained he’s still thinking about his future.

“I will continue training. I haven’t said if I will stop fighting or now,” Nogueira told Revista Combate. “The fight just ended now, I will still see what I’m going to do. I will come back to training. I love to train, I love being in a camp. People ask me what’s the most important moment for me, and it’s not fighting, winning or losing, it’s the daily training. I’m addicted to this.”

White offered Nogueira a job in the UFC, “the Chuck Liddell, Matt Hughes and Forrest Griffin deal”, and the former UFC and PRIDE heavyweight champion has already accepted it.

“I will work with the UFC, for sure,” he said. “Dana White is interested in having me working with the fighters, bringing more athletes to the organization, new talents. I love to work with athletes. I have 64 professional athletes in my gym, and I find new athletes every day. I like to be at the events, see who are the prospects, but also help them backstage. He said he’s interested and I immediately accepted the job. We will work with the UFC in the future.”

If he does retire after UFC 190, “Minotauro” will end his MMA career on a three-fight losing streak with losses to Stefan Struve, Roy Nelson and Fabricio Werdum, with a MMA record that includes 34 wins, 10 losses, one draw and one no-contest.

Two of his six UFC losses came against former champion Frank Mir, and a chance to avenge those losses would make Nogueira forget retirement.

“That’s one of the things that I would think about before retiring,” Nogueira said of a potential trilogy bout with Mir, who recently stopped Antonio Silva and Todd Duffee. “He had ups and downs. He was coming off four losses and has now won two in a row.”

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Dana White had a quick chat after UFC 190, and it sounded like the heavyweight legend would call it quits following the unanimous decision loss to Stefan Struve. However, it looks like “Minotauro” has yet to make a final decision.

The UFC president said at the post-fight press conference that he didn’t want to see him fight again and that Nogueira didn’t disagree. Three days later, “Minotauro” explained he’s still thinking about his future.

“I will continue training. I haven’t said if I will stop fighting or now,” Nogueira told Revista Combate. “The fight just ended now, I will still see what I’m going to do. I will come back to training. I love to train, I love being in a camp. People ask me what’s the most important moment for me, and it’s not fighting, winning or losing, it’s the daily training. I’m addicted to this.”

White offered Nogueira a job in the UFC, “the Chuck Liddell, Matt Hughes and Forrest Griffin deal”, and the former UFC and PRIDE heavyweight champion has already accepted it.

“I will work with the UFC, for sure,” he said. “Dana White is interested in having me working with the fighters, bringing more athletes to the organization, new talents. I love to work with athletes. I have 64 professional athletes in my gym, and I find new athletes every day. I like to be at the events, see who are the prospects, but also help them backstage. He said he’s interested and I immediately accepted the job. We will work with the UFC in the future.”

If he does retire after UFC 190, “Minotauro” will end his MMA career on a three-fight losing streak with losses to Stefan Struve, Roy Nelson and Fabricio Werdum, with a MMA record that includes 34 wins, 10 losses, one draw and one no-contest.

Two of his six UFC losses came against former champion Frank Mir, and a chance to avenge those losses would make Nogueira forget retirement.

“That’s one of the things that I would think about before retiring,” Nogueira said of a potential trilogy bout with Mir, who recently stopped Antonio Silva and Todd Duffee. “He had ups and downs. He was coming off four losses and has now won two in a row.”