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Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira retires a legend, even if there wasn't a happy ending

One of the greatest fighters in the history of mixed martial arts made his retirement official today as Brazilian legend Antonio Rodrigo ‘Minotauro’ Nogueira stepped away from the sport he helped establish over the last 20 years.

Serving as the only man to ever hold both PRIDE and UFC world titles, “Big Nog” is the definition of a pioneer.

Starting his career in 1999 in DeLand, Florida at World Extreme Fighting 6, Nogueira would go on to wreak havoc on the heavyweight division with his innovative blend of offensive ground wizardry and precise striking.

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira lost six of his last nine career fights. (Getty)
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira lost six of his last nine career fights. (Getty)

Nogueira, along with his twin brother Rogerio (aka: ‘Little Nog’) used their all-world ground attack, and Olympic-level boxing training to carve out a special place in the heart of fight fans all across the globe.

There’s an old saying in fight sports: “It’s not about who you fought, it’s about when you fought ‘em,” and Minotauro fought them all.

And he did it during a time in divisional history that will likely never be seen again.

Starting in 2000, with the Open Weight Grand Prix Tournament, PRIDE FC would go on to hold the heavyweight division hostage, as fans, critics and fighters, alike, recognized the Japanese promotion as the unquestioned premium destination for heavier weights.

In fact, it was former heavyweight champion, Mark Coleman, from the rival UFC, who won the inaugural Open Weight GP, setting the scene for the next decade of dominance.

It was Nogueira, not Coleman, however, who became Pride's first heavyweight champion, after he submitted Coleman in September 2001.

The victory over Coleman set up an eventual showdown with the “Texas Crazy Horse” Heath Herring for the inaugural PRIDE Heavyweight Championship a few weeks later in November of the same year – a fight that Nogueira would win via unanimous decision.

Before the great Fedor Emelianenko dethroned Nogueira in 2003 at PRIDE 25, he had amassed an almost unheard-of record of 19-1-1.

In fact, Nogueira’s only defeat prior to Emelianenko was a close split-decision loss to MMA legend Dan Henderson – a loss he would later avenge during his time as Pride heavyweight champ.

Years later, in 2008, Nogueira would capture the UFC (interim) heavyweight championship when he submitted Tim Sylvia in the third round at UFC 81. It was a crowning achievement that branded Nogueira as one of the sport’s all-time greats. At the time, Nogueira was just 32, but the achievement was made that much more impressive given the ridiculous amount of mileage the aging legend had already put on his body.

Mileage like this:

If a fighter’s face tells their story, then Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira face is a James Michener novel.

Pre-UFC battles (and victories) over Dan Henderson, current UFC heavyweight champ Fabricio Werdum, Josh Barnett, Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic, Heath Herring, Mark Coleman, and Ricco Rodriguez made him a fan favorite. And as brutal as most of those fights were, Nogueira continually put critics in their place and continued to prove naysayers wrong win after win.

Even more surprising in the career narrative of Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira is the fact that it took nearly a decade until he lost via stoppage.

That’s right, it took numerous battles with the likes of Fedor Emelianenko (x2), Dan Henderson (x2), Mark Coleman, Heath Herring, and plenty of feared opponents in between, before Nogueira was finally finished at the hands of Frank Mir at UFC 92 in Dec. 2008.

Nogueira’s final UFC tally was unimpressive on paper (5-6), as he visibly slowed over the final few years. But when you look at his career longevity, the fights he gave, and the time in which he did it, it’s easy to see why people speak about him with such reverence and respect.

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira retired from MMA on Tuesday. (Getty)
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira retired from MMA on Tuesday. (Getty)

And despite an unremarkable UFC record at first glance, remember this: He won UFC gold, beat a UFC hall of famer in Randy Couture, and returned to his home country of Brazil at UFC 134 and KO’d Brendan Schaub in the first round.

"'Big Nog' is a legend in the sport of MMA," UFC president Dana White said. "He is respected by fighters and fans worldwide. It has been an honor to watch him compete and I'm happy to see him retire.”

With his retirement, Nogueira will join other UFC legends Matt Hughes, Forrest Griffin and Chuck Liddell as ‘company men,’ as he embarks on his new title of “Athletes Relations Ambassador” for Brazil.

“He will be a huge asset to the UFC, the athletes and the sport as an ambassador,” White continued. “I look forward to working with him in this new chapter of his life."

“I’ve always had a passion to follow the development of new athletes and that’s what I intend to continue doing,” said Nogueira in the release. “I want to help further the spread of MMA around the world and give my contribution to the emergence and development of young talent.

“I know that I can, and will, contribute much to the growth of our sport outside of the Octagon.”

With over 30 affiliate schools to his Team Nogueira brand (with some estimated 10,000 students), and the respect of an entire sport, there is little doubt that Rodrigo Nogueira will continue to impress MMA fans for years to come.

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Ryan McKinnell is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports Cagewriter blog. Have a tip? Email him or