‘Big Nog’ going to the UFC Hall of Fame
Former UFC interim heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira will be inducted in the organization’s Hall of Fame during the UFC Fan Expo in Las Vegas on July 10.
The announcement was made during Saturday night’s broadcast of UFC 198, which “Big Nog” attended and watched his twin brother Antonio Rogerio Nogueira earn a first-round knockout victory over Patrick Cummins.
“I’m really excited to announce Minotauro Nogueira as the first inductee of the 2016 UFC Hall of Fame class,” UFC president Dana White said in announcing the honor. “Big Nog is a mixed martial arts legend and, as an icon of the sport, we couldn’t think of a more fitting platform to make this announcement then at the record-breaking stadium event in Brazil. Nogueira is a true pioneer and we look forward to celebrating his career with all the fight fans in July at the UFC Fan Expo.”
Nogueira retired in 2015 after three losses in a row. He compiled a 34-10-1 record in his career and also held the PRIDE Fighting Championships heavyweight belt.
He holds wins over Randy Couture, Fabricio Werdum, Dan Henderson and Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic.
Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5509. Follow him on Twitter: @adamhilllvrj
