UFC legend Antonio Rogerio Nogueira turned back the clock with a vicious knockout in his boxing return.
48-year-old Antonio Rogerio Nogueira proved age to be solely a number in a wild return to combat sports after a three-year layoff.
Nogueira battled Brazilian bodybuilder and influencer Fabio Tadalafellas at Fight Music Show 6 on Saturday in Sao Paulo. It marked Nogueira’s first exhibition boxing match since a unanimous decision win in Jan. 2022, after his UFC tenure came to a disappointing end in a loss to Shogun Rua in July 2020.
Despite the recent up-and-down run in fighting, Nogueira remains one of the most intimidating men on the planet as he approaches age 50. The competitive fire that made him a PRIDE legend still burns within Nogueira, as he showcased against Tadalafellas this weekend.
Antonio Rogerio Nogueira sleeps Brazilian influencer in exhibition boxing match
Nogueira and Tadalafellas squared off in the co-main event of Fight Music Show 6, headlined by a matchup between Acelino Freitas and Duda Nagle. After a sluggish first-round between Nogueira and Tadalafellas, it didn’t take long for Minotauro to pick up the pace in Round 2.
Nogueira wasted little time pressuring Tadalafellas against the ropes, forcing his opponent on the back foot and bewildered by the MMA legend’s forward momentum. After Nogueira stunned Tadalafellas with a right hand, a left hand to the chin was all he needed to knock his rival out cold in the ring.
Watch Nogueira secure the win below.
Nogueira moves to 2-0 in exhibition boxing after defeating Leonardo Guimaraes by unanimous decision at Fight Music Show 1. Before that, his last combat sports victory came against Sam Alvey in Sept. 2018.
It also marked Nogueira’s first stoppage win since the Alvey fight, as Nogueira traded wins and losses to end his UFC tenure. He defeated the likes of Rashad Evans and Tito Ortiz during his promotional stint.
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Cris Cyborg scored a first-round knockout in boxing return as PFL comeback looms
Nogueira wasn’t the only legend to earn a massive win this weekend in the boxing ring. Former UFC women’s featherweight champion Cris Cyborg knocked out Precious Harris-McCray in San Jose.
Cyborg trolled Claressa Shields after her win in an attempt to lure the GWOAT to the ring for a future fight. Shields and Cyborg have traded barbs for years, and a potential matchup is becoming increasingly likely.
Cyborg still has a matchup with Sara Collins on her radar for her PFL return, potentially for later this summer. She hasn’t fought in MMA since defeating Larissa Pacheco in October.
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