UFC News: Retirement plans around the corner for Antonio Rogerio Nogueira?

What's the story?

On September 22nd, at UFC Sao Paulo, light heavyweight fighter Antonio Rogerio Nogueira went up against Sam Alvey, in a fight that scored the former a second-round technical knockout.

He was considered the be the underdog before the fight, but his win earned him a "Performance Of The Night" Bonus instead. During the post-fight octagon interview, Nogueira told the MMA fraternity that although he intends to further continue fighting in the octagon, he is also actively thinking about retirement.

In case you didn't know...

Antonio Rogerio Nogueira fought for the PRIDE fighting championships and made his debut on April 8th, 2002 at PRIDE 20. He was also a proficient amateur boxer and was the Brazilian Super Heavyweight champion during the years 2006 and 2007. He has previously fought some big names within the sport and holds victories over Alistair Overeem, Tito Ortiz, Rashad Evans, and Dan Henderson

Coming from Brazil, he trains in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Ricardo de la Riva. Before signing up with PRIDE and becoming a big star for the organization, Nogueira competed in DEEP and HooknShoot, posing a record of 2-0. He also won a bronze medal in the 2007 Pan American games.

Here is a highlight of his last TKO victory over Sam Alvey:

The heart of the matter

Antonio Rogerio Nogueira fought at a little over 240 pounds for his last fight and expressed about having a hard time getting into shape. He also suffered from an infection just 10 days prior to his fight against Sam Alvey. In his post-fight interview, this is what Nogueira had to say about his plans on retiring from the sport of mixed martial arts:

“It’s normal due to my age. I’m 42. I think in the UFC, there are not many fighters my age. Dan Henderson and Randy Couture fought at 44, 45 years old. But definitely, I have to think about my retirement. It’s not something out of the question, but I think tonight’s performance maybe will put that to the side a little bit more. I intend on fighting this year again; I’m going to ask to see if I can fight before the end of the year, or the beginning of next year.”

What's next?

Although Nogueira hints on a possibly soon retirement, he does intend to fight again this year. He says that he wishes to step back into the octagon and train well for the process. The only minor concern that he feels will be a hindrance, is his back injury.

Most fighters at Nogueira's age would call it quits. It is miracle to see him compete with some of the top fighters in the sport, even to this day.

Who do you fight fans think would be next in line for "Lil Nog"?

Leave your comments below!