Big Nog accepts job, undecided on retirement

UFC president Dana White has given a series of aging fighters The Talk, including close friend Chuck Liddell, BJ Penn, and Forrest Griffin. The latest fighter to get The Talk is Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira, who lost a lackluster decision to Stefan Struve at UFC 190 on Saturday. The Talk offers a simple trade – an office job with the UFC, in exchange for fighting no more forever, and taking no more damage.

Big Nog spoke recently with Brazil’s Portal do Vale Tudo, and said he had accepted a talent scouting job with the UFC, but remained uncertain about retirement.

“He showed interest in me working with the UFC in finding new talents, which is something I already do, some kind of scout,” said Nogueira, as transcribed by Lucas Rezende for BE. “I accepted, but I will keep training and I haven’t said if I will retire or not. The fight ended recently, I will still think about what I will do next. I like to train and I love the atmosphere of a camp. When people ask me what I like to do the most, I tell them it’s training, to perfect an armbar or whatever, I like to wake up and have a goal.”

“One of the things I would think about doing before I hang up my gloves (to fight Frank Mir). When we coached The Ultimate Fighter together, he was really harsh with his athletes, he likes to look tough. He’s inconsistent, he had four losses in a row before winning his last two.”

However, in order for Nogueira to fight Mir, or anyone, who has to convince White, who has said respectfully and definitively that Big Nog will not be offered any more fights.

“I’m done. I don’t want to see him fight anymore,” said Nogueira. “The guy has been in – just the battles in PRIDE that he’s been in, let alone the fights that he’s fought in the UFC. He is one of the most respected fighters in the world by other fighters, let alone by fans, and I like him very much too.

Amen.