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Antonio Rogério Nogueira (also known as “Lil Nog”) is one of the best light heavyweights in the world, competing for the biggest MMA promotion in the world, the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He is currently ranked fifth best in the UFC light heavyweight division, and was set to take on fellow Brazilian and top ten light heavyweight Mauricio “Shogun” Rua at UFC 161 on June 15 in the co-main event. However, he was forced to pull out of the fight citing a back injury.
Many questions were being asked by fans when his injury was announced. Who would take his place? Would the bout just be removed from the fight card? Elite light heavyweights Ryan Bader and Glover Teixeira were suggested as suitable opponents. Yet just 24 hours after his injury was announced, three time title contender Chael Sonnen was reported to be Nogueira’s replacement after calling out Rua through twitter.
So, does this affect the quality of UFC 161? Not really. The proof? Sonnen has won “Fight of the Night” bonus awards on two occasions, and competed for a UFC title three times (twice at middleweight, once at light heavyweight). On top of this, he’s not afraid to trash talk opponents to better promote a fight. Clearly he’s an exciting fighter to watch and a suitable replacement. What this really affects are the implications the fight has for Mauricio Rua. A former light heavyweight champion, Rua was expected to fight a top ranked fighter in his division in Nogueira. An impressive win for either man would have put them right into the title picture. Now Rua is facing a man on a two-fight losing streak, and is not ranked top ten in the division; this new matchup is interesting for fight fans, but doesn’t really help Rua get any closer to a tile shot if he should win.
Will Nogueira retire now? This is another question being asked by fans. Even though he is at the top of his division, there’s a good chance he should retire and will. For example, Nogueira just turned 37 this year. That is old in the world of an athlete, considering younger, hungrier athletes are always emerging eager to make a name off of the already established veterans. On top of this, this is the fourth time Nogueira has had to pull out of a UFC fight due to injury. Injuries accumulate over time, and make it harder for athletes to train as hard and as often. Nogueira may find it easier to hang up the gloves and preserve his body rather than injure himself further. Really, only time will tell what Nogueira decides to do.
UFC 161 will take place on June 15, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. In the main-event, light heavyweight legends Rashad Evans and Dan Henderson will collide, with the previously mentioned co-main event featuring Mauricio Rua vs Chael Sonnen.
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