Many questioned how much fight Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira had left in him prior to his bout with Brendan Schaub at UFC 134.
With lingering injuries and a long layoff, the outcome wouldn’t look to be in the Brazilian’s favour.
However, Nogueria might of possibly turned in one of the most memorable performances of his career.
Not only did the victory keep “Big Nog” relevant once again, but it has allowed him to continue fighting and pursue a potential title shot in the future. But had he suffered another devastating loss, UFC President Dana White was prepared to persuade the legendary heavyweight to call it a career
“I’m not going to let this thing be boxing. When a guy is done, we know when he’s done,” White told reporters during UFC 134 post-fight press conference.
It is no secret that White has had to force some fighters into retirement for the sake of their well-being. UFC hall of famer and former UFC light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell was under heavy scrutiny from the UFC boss after dropping five of his last six bouts.
And, most recently, Wanderlei Silva has also come into the conversation, as well. While they may still have the desire to compete, White will not hesitate to hold certain fighters back due to their diminishing skills and sudden decline.
But Nogueira’s win might of likely kept his career on life support and will now attempt to revive what’s left of his career. And, as a result, the win has likely put the Brazilian one win away from a potential title shot.
And according to White, the right opponent just needs to come along.
“It’s not a matter of how many victories,” he said. “It’s who he fights.”
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