Antonio Rogerio Nogueira is taking on a man tonight at UFC 237, who is 15 years his junior, but that doesn’t seem to bother the legend. In fact, according to “Lil’ Nog”, after he battles Ryan Spann he’s going to feel younger than the rising light-heavyweight.
Spann (15-5) has been booked for a bout with the Brazilian star, after defeating Luis Henrique Barbosa de Oliveira in his UFC debut last September. The win was Spann’s fifth straight.
Well, when Spann made his pro-debut back in 2013, the 42-year-old Nogueira (23-8) had already been competing professionally for over a decade. While discussing the tonight’s bout recently, and his age, “Minotouro” said this (quotes via MMA Junkie):
“Young guys, they want to challenge the old guys. I don’t feel I’m an old guy,” Nogueira said. “But I think it’s normal. It’s going to be a good challenge for me. I’m 42 years old, I’m going to win (against) a guy 27 years old, I’m going to feel 26.”
“He’s very big, so I have to move a lot with my head, I have to move a lot with my legs. I want to be on the side, because if I’m in front of him it’s going to be a little bit dangerous. He’s very big. I have to move a lot.”
Nogueira may not be the force he once was, but that doesn’t mean he’s not dangerous himself. Case in point, in his last outing in September, he stopped Sam Alvey. Two fights before that he took out Patrick Cummins. Spann may not be a household name yet in MMA, but if “Lil’ Nog” can end his winning streak, he’ll turn heads once again.
If Nogueira loses badly, however, then you know calls for the storied fighter to hang ’em up will spike.
Here is the line-up for UFC 237.
PPV Main Card on ESPN+ (10 p.m. ET):
115 lbs.: UFC Strawweight Champion Rose Namajunas vs. Jessica Andrade
185 lbs.: Anderson Silva vs. Jared Cannonier
145 lbs.: Jose Aldo vs. Alex Volkanovski
170 lbs.: Thiago Alves vs. Laureano Staropoli
135 lbs.: Irene Aldana vs. Bethe Correia
UFC 237 Prelims on ESPN (8 p.m. ET):
205 lbs.: Antonio Rogerio Nogueira vs. Ryan Spann
155 lbs.: Kurt Holobaugh vs. Thiago Moises
170 lbs.: Warlley Alves vs. Sergio Moraes
155 lbs.: Clay Guida vs. B.J. Penn
UFC 237 Prelims on Fight Pass (6:30 p.m. ET):
135 lbs.: Luana Carolina vs. Priscila Cachoeira
135 lbs.: Raoni Barcelos vs. Carlos Quiroz
135 lbs.: Talita Bernardo vs. Viviane Araujo
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