Mauricio Rua – Page 4 – Syndication Server

UFC on ESPN 14 post-event facts: Khamzat Chimaev’s record might be untouchable

Check out all the facts and figures from UFC on ESPN 14, which saw Robert Whittaker score a main-event win over Darren Till in Abu Dhabi.

The final stop of the UFC’s inaugural “Fight Island” stretch took place Saturday with UFC on ESPN 14, which went down at Flash Forum on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi with a record 15-fight card that aired on ESPN and streamed on ESPN+.

Former UFC middleweight champion [autotag]Robert Whittaker[/autotag] (21-5 MMA, 12-3 UFC) rebounded from losing the title to Israel Adesanya last October when he outworked [autotag]Darren Till[/autotag] (18-3-1 MMA, 6-3-1 UFC) to a unanimous decision in the main event.

For more on the numbers behind the historic fight card, check below for 50 post-event facts to come out of UFC on ESPN 14.

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General

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The UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payout for the event totaled $209,500.

Debuting fighters went 1-4 at the event.

[autotag]Fabricio Werdum[/autotag], [autotag]Paul Craig[/autotag], [autotag]Khamzat Chimaev[/autotag], [autotag]Jesse Ronson[/autotag], [autotag]Tom Aspinall[/autotag] and [autotag]Tanner Boser[/autotag] earned $50,000 UFC on ESPN 14 fight-night bonuses.

The six fight-night bonuses issued at UFC on ESPN 14 set a single-event record for the company.

UFC on ESPN 14 drew an announced attendance of zero for a live gate of $0.

Betting favorites went 11-4 on the card.

Betting favorites improved to 14-6 in UFC headliners this year.

Total fight time for the 15-bout card was 2:40:24.

Main card

Whittaker improved to 9-1 since he moved up to the UFC middleweight division in November 2014.

Whittaker has earned seven of his 12 UFC victories by decision.

Till fell to 1-1 since he moved up to the middleweight division in November.

Till suffered the first decision loss of his career.

[autotag]Mauricio Rua[/autotag]’s (27-11-1 MMA, 11-9-1 UFC) 23 victories in UFC/PRIDE light-heavyweight competition are the most in combined divisional history.

[autotag]Antonio Rogerio Nogueira[/autotag] (23-10 MMA, 6-7 UFC) fell to 2-5 in his past seven fights dating back to July 2014.

Nogueira has suffered six of his 10 career losses by decision.

Werdum (24-9-1 MMA, 12-6 UFC) improved to 10-4 since he returned to the UFC for a second stint in February 2012.

Werdum has earned 18 of his 24 career victories by stoppage. That includes eight of his 12 UFC wins.

[autotag]Alexander Gustafsson[/autotag]’s (18-7 MMA, 10-7 UFC) three-fight losing skid is the longest of his career. He hasn’t earned a victory since May 2017.

Gustafsson was unsuccessful in his heavyweight debut.

Gustafsson fell to 3-6 in his past nine UFC appearances dating back to his first title fight against Jon Jones in September 2013.

[autotag]Carla Esparza[/autotag] (17-6 MMA, 8-4 UFC) improved to 7-3 since losing the UFC strawweight title to Joanna Jedrzejczyk in March 2015.

Esparza’s eight victories in UFC strawweight competition are second most in divisional history behind Jedrzejczyk (10).

Esparza’s four-fight UFC winning streak at strawweight is the fourth longest active streak in the division behind Tatiana Suarez (five), Yan Xiaonan (five) and Zhang Weili (five).

Esparza has earned seven of her eight UFC victories by decision.

Esparza’s 39 takedowns landed in UFC strawweight competition are most in divisional history.

[autotag]Marina Rodriguez[/autotag] (13-1-2 MMA, 2-1-2 UFC) had her 15-fight unbeaten streak snapped for the first defeat of her career.

Craig (13-4-1 MMA, 5-4-1 UFC) has earned all of his career victories by stoppage.

Craig became the first fighter in UFC history to win three separate fights by triangle choke submission.

Craig’s five submission victories in UFC light heavyweight competition are tied with Jones, Misha Cirkunov, Ovince Saint Preux, and Glover Teixeira for most in divisional history.

[autotag]Gadzhimurad Antigulov[/autotag] (21-6 MMA, 3-2 UFC) has suffered all eight of his career losses by stoppage.

Antigulov suffered his first submission loss since Apr. 27, 2013 – a span of 2,646 days (more than seven years) and 18 fights.

[autotag]Alex Oliveira[/autotag] (21-8-1 MMA, 11-6 UFC) improved to 9-5 (with one no contest) in UFC welterweight competition.

[autotag]Peter Sobotta[/autotag] (17-7-1 MMA, 4-6 UFC) fell to 4-3 since he returned to the UFC for a second stint in May 2014.

Sobotta has suffered four of his six UFC losses by decision.

Chimaev (8-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) set a record for fastest time between UFC wins with two victories in 10 days.

Chimaev earned a fight-night bonus for both of his wins.

Chimaev has earned all eight of his career victories by stoppage. He’s finished five of those wins in Round 1.

[autotag]Rhys McKee[/autotag] (10-3-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC) has suffered both of his career stoppage losses by knockout.

Preliminary card

[autotag]Francisco Trinaldo[/autotag]’s (26-7 MMA, 16-6 UFC) 15 victories in UFC lightweight competition are tied for fourth most in divisional history behind Jim Miller (19), Donald Cerrone (17) and Gleison Tibau (16).

[autotag]Jai Herbert[/autotag] (10-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC) has suffered both of his career losses by knockout.

Ronson (22-10 MMA, 1-3 UFC) was successful in his return to the UFC after going winless in his first stint from 2013-2014.

[autotag]Nicolas Dalby[/autotag] (18-4-1 MMA, 2-3-1 UFC) fell to 1-1 since he returned to the UFC for a second stint in September.

Dalby suffered the first submission loss of his career.

Aspinall (8-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC) has earned all eight of his career victories by stoppage.

[autotag]Jake Collier[/autotag] (11-4 MMA, 3-4 UFC) was unsuccessful in his UFC heavyweight debut.

Collier has alternated wins and losses over his past eight fights.

Collier has suffered four of his five career losses by stoppage.

[autotag]Movsar Evloev[/autotag] (13-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) has earned all three of his UFC victories by decision.

[autotag]Mike Grundy[/autotag] (12-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC) had his nine-fight winning streak snapped for the first defeat of his career.

Grundy suffered the first decision loss of his career.

Boser (19-6-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) earned his second UFC victory in a 28-day stretch. He also won at UFC on ESPN 12 on June 27.

Raphael Pessoa (10-2 MMA, 1-2 UFC) has suffered both of his career losses by stoppage.

Pessoa suffered the first knockout loss of his career.

[autotag]Pannie Kianzad[/autotag] (13-5 MMA, 2-2 UFC) has earned nine of her 12 career victories by decision. That includes both of her UFC wins.

[autotag]Ramazan Emeev[/autotag] (19-4 MMA, 4-1 UFC) improved to 3-1 since he dropped to the UFC welterweight division in May 2018.

Emeev improved to 16-2 in his past 18 fights.

Emeev has earned all four of his UFC victories by decision.

[autotag]Niklas Stolze[/autotag] (12-4 MMA, 0-1 UFC) has suffered all four of his career losses by decision.

[autotag]Nathaniel Wood[/autotag] (17-4 MMA, 4-1 UFC) earned his first decision victory since Nov. 14, 2015 – a span of 1,715 days (nearly five years) and 11 fights.

[autotag]John Castaneda[/autotag] (17-5 MMA, 0-1 UFC) suffered the first decision loss of his career.

UFC research analyst and live statistics producer Michael Carroll contributed to this story. Follow him on Twitter @MJCflipdascript.

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‘Shogun’ Rua ponders own career finish after sending one legend into retirement at UFC on ESPN 14

Mauricio Rua is looking ahead to retirement after winning his trilogy with Antonio Rogerio Nogueira at UFC on ESPN 14.

ABU DHABI – [autotag]Mauricio Rua[/autotag] was proud to be Antonio Rogerio Nogueira’s retirement opponent at UFC on ESPN 14, and now he’s looking ahead to his own career finale.

Rua (27-11-1 MMA, 11-9-1 UFC), the former UFC light heavyweight champion, closed his trilogy with Nogueira (23-10 MMA, 6-7 UFC) on Saturday with a split decision win at Flash Forum on Yas Island. The victory gave “Shogun” a sweep in the series, which dated back to their first fight under the now-defunct PRIDE banner in 2005 and before a UFC rematch in 2015.

Although there seemed to be little upside to Rua winning a third fight after taking the first two, he said he viewed it differently. He was proud to be Nogueira’s final fight and thinks going 3-0 over a fellow legend of the sport means a lot for his resume.

“I accepted this fight because I knew it would be important for my legacy if I was going to win,” Rua told reporters, including MMA Junkie, post-fight at UFC on ESPN 14. “I’m very happy for finishing the career of Nogueira here for his final fight. He’s a very top guy and a very top fighter. I respect him, and I’m very happy for this moment.”

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After winning the first two bouts by unanimous decision, the third contest went down to the wire. Rua got the nod from two of the three judges and said he thought he won the first and third round.

At 38, Rua has said for years at this point that he’s closing in on the final stage of his career. He said post-fight that it’s really becoming reality now, and he has two or three bouts left in his career. However, he declined to go into specifics.

“I (want to) go back to Brazil now and see my family,” Rua said. “I (want to) relax and talk to my manager, Eduardo (Alonso), for my next fight. … I don’t think about any fight right now.”

When pressed about final opponent options, Rua did open the door to one potential matchup. His bout prior to UFC on ESPN 14 saw him fight to a draw with [autotag]Paul Craig[/autotag] (13-4-1 MMA, 5-4-1 UFC), who scored a submission win over Gadzhimurad Antigulov just two fights prior to Rua’s win.

Rua said running back that fight is of interest but won’t give it true consideration until he reconvenes with his family and team.

“This is a good option. I want this fight, too,” Rua said. “I want this fight, too. I think (we can do) this fight one more time.”

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UFC on ESPN 14 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Main event combines for $15k payout

UFC on ESPN 14 fighters took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay, a program that launched after the UFC’s deal with Reebok.

ABU DHABI – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 14 event took home event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $209,500

The program, a comprehensive plan that includes outfitting requirements, media obligations and other items under the fighter code of conduct, replaces the previous payments made under the UFC Athlete Outfitting Policy.

UFC on ESPN 14 took place at Flash Forum in Yas Island. The card aired on ESPN and streamed on ESPN+.

The full UFC on ESPN 14 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Robert Whittaker[/autotag]: $10,000
def. [autotag]Darren Till[/autotag]: $5,000

[autotag]Mauricio Rua[/autotag]: $20,000
def. [autotag]Antonio Rogerio Nogueira[/autotag]: $10,000

[autotag]Fabricio Werdum[/autotag]: $15,000
def. [autotag]Alexander Gustafsson[/autotag]: $15,000

[autotag]Carla Esparza[/autotag]: $10,000
def. [autotag]Marina Rodriguez[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Paul Craig[/autotag]: $5,000
def. [autotag]Gadzhimurad Antigulov[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Alex Oliveira[/autotag]: $15,000
def. [autotag]Peter Sobotta[/autotag]: $5,000

[autotag]Khamzat Chimaev[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Rhys McKee[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Francisco Trinaldo[/autotag]: $20,000
def. [autotag]Jai Herbert[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Jesse Ronson[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Nicolas Dalby[/autotag]: $5,000

[autotag]Tom Aspinall[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Jake Collier[/autotag]: $5,000

[autotag]Movsar Evloev[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Mike Grundy[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Tanner Boser[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Raphael Pessoa[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Pannie Kianzad[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Bethe Correia[/autotag]: $10,000

[autotag]Ramazan Emeev[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Niklas Stolze[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Nathaniel Wood[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]John Castaneda[/autotag]: $3,500

Under the UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance program’s payout tiers, which appropriate the money generated by Reebok’s multi-year sponsorship with the UFC, fighters are paid based on their total number of UFC bouts, as well as Zuffa-era WEC fights (January 2007 and later) and Zuffa-era Strikeforce bouts (April 2011 and later). Fighters with 1-3 bouts receive $3,500 per appearance; 4-5 bouts get $4,000; 6-10 bouts get $5,000; 11-15 bouts earn $10,000; 16-20 bouts pocket $15,000; and 21 bouts and more get $20,000. Additionally, champions earn $40,000 while title challengers get $30,000.

In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-30 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.

Full 2020 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

“UFC on ESPN 14: Whittaker vs. Till” – $209,500
“UFC on ESPN+ 30: Figueiredo vs. Benavidez 2” – $165,000
“UFC on ESPN 13: Kattar vs. Ige” – $97,000
“UFC 251: Usman vs. Masvidal” – $305,500
“UFC on ESPN 11: Blaydes vs. Volkov” – $178,500
“UFC on ESPN 10: Eye vs. Calvillo” – $95,000
“UFC 250: Nunes vs. Spencer” – $266,000
“UFC on ESPN 9: Woodley vs. Burns” – $114,500
“UFC on ESPN 8: Overeem vs. Harris” – $184,500
“UFC on ESPN+ 29: Smith vs. Teixeira” – $166,000
“UFC 249: Ferguson vs. Gaethje” – $305,500
“UFC on ESPN+ 28: Lee vs. Oliveira” – $209,500
“UFC 248: Adesanya vs. Romero” – $257,000
“UFC on ESPN+ 27: Benavidez vs. Figueiredo” – $119,500
“UFC on ESPN+ 26: Felder vs. Hooker” – $130,000
“UFC on ESPN+ 25: Anderson vs. Blachowicz 2” – $186,500
“UFC 247: Jones vs. Reyes” – $243,000
“UFC on ESPN+ 24: Blaydes vs. Dos Santos” – $169,000
“UFC 246: McGregor vs. Cowboy” – $165,000

Year-to-date total: $3,497,500
2019 total: $7,370,500
2018 total: $6,901,000
2017 total: $6,295,000
2016 total: $7,138,000
2015 total: $3,185,000
Program-to-date total: $34,502,000

Fight Tracks: The walkout songs of UFC on ESPN 14, including Darren Till’s ‘intentional silence’

Check out all the fighter walkout songs from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 14 event.

While it takes intense training, world-class skills and maybe even a bit of luck to register a UFC win, picking the right song to accompany you to the cage is a key talent, as well.

See what the fighters from UFC on ESPN 14 went with as their backing tracks in Abu Dhabi.

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Robert Whittaker def. Darren Till via unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 48-47)

[autotag]Robert Whittaker[/autotag]: “Can’t Be Touched” by Roy Jones Jr.

[autotag]Darren Till[/autotag]: No walkout song

Mauricio Rua def. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

[autotag]Mauricio Rua[/autotag]: “Under Pressure” by David Bowie & Queen

[autotag]Antonio Rogerio Nogueira[/autotag]: “Uma Vida Inteira Em Um Dia Recall” by Khadija

Fabricio Werdum def. Alexander Gustafsson via submission (armbar) — Round 1, 2:30

[autotag]Fabricio Werdum[/autotag]: “Fabricio Werdum” by Felipe Name

[autotag]Alexander Gustafsson[/autotag]: “Training Montage (Rocky IV Soundtrack)” via Vince DiCola

Carla Esparza def. Marina Rodriguez via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 30-27)

[autotag]Carla Esparza[/autotag]: “I’m Shipping Up To Boston” by Dropkick Murphys

[autotag]Marina Rodriguez[/autotag]: “Born To The Fight” by Waylander

Paul Craig def. Gadzhimurad Antigulov via submission (triangle choke) – Round 1, 2:06

[autotag]Paul Craig[/autotag]: “Victory Over The Sun” by Biffy Clyro

[autotag]Gadzhimurad Antigulov[/autotag]: “Lezginka Super” by Kavkaz

Alex Oliveira def. Peter Sobotta via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

[autotag]Alex Oliveira[/autotag]: “Deus é por Nós -” by MC Marks

[autotag]Peter Sobotta[/autotag]: “Bad Boys” by Inner Circle

Khamzat Chimaev def. Rhys McKee via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 3:09

[autotag]Khamzat Chimaev[/autotag]: N/A

[autotag]Rhys McKee[/autotag]: “Congratulations” by Post Malone feat. Quavo

Francisco Trinaldo def. Jai Herbert via TKO (punches) – Round 3, 1:30

[autotag]Francisco Trinaldo[/autotag]: “Promontory (The Last of the Mohicans)” by Trevor Jones

[autotag]Jai Herbert[/autotag]: “Know Better” by Headie One feat RV

Jesse Ronson def. Nicolas Dalby via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 2:48

[autotag]Jesse Ronson[/autotag]: “Sh*t Hits The Fan” by Obie Trice feat. Dr. Dre

[autotag]Nicolas Dalby[/autotag]: “Der Er Et Yndigt Land (There Is A Lovely Country)” by Dzifa

Tom Aspinall def. Jake Collier via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 0:45

[autotag]Tom Aspinall[/autotag]: “Move On Up” by Curtis Mayfield

[autotag]Jake Collier[/autotag]: “Hold Strong” by Rob Bailey & The Hustle Standard

Movsar Evloev def. Mike Grundy via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

[autotag]Movsar Evloev[/autotag]: N/A

[autotag]Mike Grundy[/autotag]: “Wonderwall” by Oasis

Tanner Boser def. Raphael Pessoa via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 2:36

[autotag]Tanner Boser[/autotag]: “Motorcycle” by Colter Wall

[autotag]Raphael Pessoa[/autotag]: “Papai Dos Status” by MC Bobo

Pannie Kianzad def. Bethe Correia via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

[autotag]Pannie Kianzad[/autotag]: “Take A Chance On Me” by ABBA

[autotag]Bethe Correia[/autotag]: “Feel This Moment” by Pitbull feat. Christina Aguilera

Ramazan Emeev def. Niklas Stolze via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

[autotag]Ramazan Emeev[/autotag]: “Because I Am A Highlander” by Marat

[autotag]Niklas Stolze[/autotag]: “No Diet” by Digga D

Nathaniel Wood def. John Castaneda via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

[autotag]Nathaniel Wood[/autotag]: “I’m A Man” by Black Strobe

[autotag]John Castaneda[/autotag]: “Run This Town” by Jay-Z

The Blue Corner is MMA Junkie’s blog space. We don’t take it overly serious, and neither should you. If you come complaining to us that something you read here is not hard-hitting news, expect to have the previous sentence repeated in ALL CAPS.

UFC on ESPN 14 results: ‘Shogun’ Rua sweeps trilogy, possibly retires Rogerio Nogueira

Mauricio Rua left no doubt he’s superior to Antonio Rogerio Nogueira when he made it 3-0 over his longtime rival at UFC on ESPN 14.

[autotag]Mauricio Rua[/autotag] left no doubt he’s superior to [autotag]Antonio Rogerio Nogueira[/autotag] on Saturday when he made it 3-0 over his longtime rival at UFC on ESPN 14.

After “Shogun” picked up wins in the first two meetings in 2005 and 2015, Rua (27-11-1 MMA, 11-9-1 UFC) made it a clean series sweep over Nogueira (23-10 MMA, 6-7 UFC) with a split decision victory in the trilogy bout with scores of 29-28, 28-29 and 29-28.

Nogueira was looking to end his MMA career on a high, as he pegged the matchup as his retirement bout. Rua was having none of it, though, and did not allow his fellow Brazilian to go out on a high.

The light heavyweight bout was the co-main event of UFC on ESPN 14, which aired on ESPN and streamed on ESPN+ from Flash Forum at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi.

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Both men were tentative to start the fight, but Rua pressed the action first with a pair of powerful leg kicks. He moved in and pressed Nogueira against the fence, but Nogueira broke free and landed a hard hook. Rua respected the striking and landed kicks to the leg and body of his opponent. The offensive moments started to pick up in the final two minutes, with both men tagging each other with hooks. Nogueira seemed to stagger Rua, who answered by securing a takedown in the final 30 seconds.

Rua came out in the second with more leg kicks of Nogueira, who looked to counter with his punches stepping in. Some more intense exchanges followed, then Nogueira ran into Rua with his body and sent him to the ground. Nogueira started to chip away with ground-and-pound as Rua bided his time to get back up to his feet. He did with about two minutes remaining, then came after Nogueira with a punch and kick combination before shooting for a takedown that was stopped. Rua landed his best right hand of the fight moments later, but Nogueira remained composed. They exchanged over the final two minutes, with both landing some solid strikes.

Nogueira came out looking to press the action in the final round of his career. He pushed forward through Rua’s kicks to the body and head and worked his boxing to the head. The pace slowed through the middle of the round, with both men jabbing away at the face and body of their opponent. Rua landed a tight right hand, but his power seems to be doing little to Nogueira. He landed a couple more after before Nogueira stung him back with the left straight. Rua responded with a flurry of clean punches that set up a takedown attempt. He worked away from half guard over the final minute to close out a third and final tightly contested bout.

After the fight, Nogueira confirmed he would be walking away from the sport.

“I fight very well. I know I can fight very well,” Nogueira said. “But I think it’s time for me to leave this behind.”

Rua, meanwhile, was thrilled to get another win.

“I’m very happy,” Rua said. “I beat the legend Nogueira three times. I’m very happy. Every fight with Nogueira is a war.”

Up-to-the-minute UFC on ESPN 14 results include:

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Twitter reacts to ‘Shogun’ Rua’s trilogy win over Rogerio Nogueira at UFC on ESPN 14

See the top Twitter reactions to Mauricio Rua’s narrow decision win over Antonio Rogerio Nogueira at UFC on ESPN 14.

[autotag]Mauricio Rua[/autotag] ended his trilogy against [autotag]Antonio Rogerio Nogueira[/autotag] with a clean sweep of wins when he came out on top in the UFC on ESPN 14 co-main event.

“Shogun” (27-11-1 MMA, 11-9-1 UFC), the former UFC light heavyweight champion, made it a clean 3-0 run over his rival Nogueira (23-10 MMA, 6-7 UFC) with a split decision victory in their co-headlining contest, which took place at Flash Forum at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi and aired on ESPN.

Check below for the top Twitter reactions Rua’s victory over Nogueira at UFC on ESPN 14.

* * * *

The trilogy is here! @ShogunRua and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (@MinotouroMMA) fight for a third time 15 years after their first meeting in the #UFCFightIsland3 co-headliner.

Full play-by-play: https://t.co/0kozQavZjw pic.twitter.com/sewIE5vLVr

— MMA Junkie (@MMAjunkie) July 26, 2020

#UFCFightNight Closing Betting Odds via @CircaSports

Antônio Rogério Nogueira +195
Maurício Rua -225@UFC | #UFCFightIsland3

— Nick Kalikas (@FightOdds) July 26, 2020

Shogun is stalking Nogueira around the cage. He's fired a few leg kicks, but he's looking for his lead hook. #UFCFightIsland3

— Rob Tatum (@RobTatum303) July 26, 2020

BIG turn with the gut wrench. Chamizo needs to put together a leg attack here!

— Aljamain Sterling (@funkmasterMMA) July 26, 2020

SHOGUN IS IN RETREAT! 😳#InAbuDhabi | @VisitAbuDhabi| #UFCFightIsland3 pic.twitter.com/GaVXPoCk1Q

— UFC (@ufc) July 26, 2020

Slower pace, lower volume, but my god these guys are cracking each other when they throw

— Dave Doyle (@davedoylemma) July 26, 2020

Fun fact : Shogun was one of my favourite fighters when I first started watching Mma in 2006 #UFCFightIsland3 🤷🏾‍♂️

— JIMI MANUWA (@POSTERBOYJM) July 26, 2020

Rinse, wash, repeat. #PrideNeverDie

— Dan Tom (@DanTomMMA) July 26, 2020

This is an awesome fight, reminds me of their first one. 10-9 Rogerio

— Matheus Aquino (@MatheusDCAquino) July 26, 2020

Straight old school battle here

— Brian Kelleher (@brianboom135) July 26, 2020

Am I dreaming? Shogun vs Nogueira what a fight #UFCFightIsland @ufc

— Marlon Moraes (@MMARLONMORAES) July 26, 2020

It truly does feel like a throwback PRIDE fight watching these two legends battle! #UFCFightIsland3

— Alan Jouban (@AlanJouban) July 26, 2020

Jeez that takedown (fall down?) looked like some old guys fighting at Walmart

— David Michaud (@bulldawg_170) July 26, 2020

New #UFCFightIsland3 game, every time the NFL game pass song comes on jump up and start twerking.

— Angela Hill (@AngieOverkill) July 26, 2020

the punches are aging their faces instantaneously eep

— esther lin 🏳️‍🌈 (@allelbows) July 26, 2020

Fighting in Pride added a decade to everybody’s face.

— Andre Fili (@TouchyFili) July 26, 2020

These boys still have it #UFCFightIsland3

— Julian marquez (@JMarquezMMA) July 26, 2020

Due to the battled nature of their hips, neither Nogueira brother has been able to feel their legs since Zuffa’s acquisition of PRIDE.

— Dan Tom (@DanTomMMA) July 26, 2020

This is a great fight.

— Matheus Aquino (@MatheusDCAquino) July 26, 2020

Bravo to Shogun and Nogueira. This clearly mattered intensely to both, they gave everything they have left in the tank, and put on a pretty compelling fight for a couple old guys.

— Dave Doyle (@davedoylemma) July 26, 2020

Nogueira fought Shogun in his 20s, 30s and 40s. Might've lost in every decade.

— Luke Thomas (@lthomasnews) July 26, 2020

Fun scrap from the OG legends of the game! #UFCFightIsland3

— Aljamain Sterling (@funkmasterMMA) July 26, 2020

Wow mma legends! What a fight! So much respect for these guys over 60 fights combined and they still bring it! 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾 wow #UFCFightIsland3

— GILBERT BURNS DURINHO (@GilbertDurinho) July 26, 2020

Much respect for these legends #Ufc

— Rafael dos Anjos (@RdosAnjosMMA) July 26, 2020

Antonio Rogerio Nogueira on whether this was his last fight:

“I think so. I think it’s time for the new generation to come."

— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) July 26, 2020

#UFCFightIsland3 results: @ShogunRua def. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Full play-by-play: https://t.co/0kozQavZjw pic.twitter.com/NWTHEU9RcR

— MMA Junkie (@MMAjunkie) July 26, 2020

UFC on ESPN 14: Mauricio Rua vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 14 fight between Mauricio Rua and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, with MMA betting odds, picks, tips and bets.

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Mauricio Rua and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira lock horns in a light heavyweight bout on the main card at UFC on ESPN 14 Saturday at the UFC’s Fight Island facility on Yas Island, United Arab Emirates. The prelims kick off at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN+, followed by the main card set for 8 p.m. ET.

Want to place a bet on UFC on ESPN 14? Place bets at BetMGM online in CO, IN, NJ and WV! New customer offer: Risk-free first bet! Visit BetMGM for terms and conditions. Bet now!

Rua (26-11-1) heads into this one looking for redemption after a split-decision draw last time out against Paul Craig Nov. 16, 2019. It’s a fight Rua felt he should have won. He is now 1-1-1 across his past three fights, and has recorded a pair of knockout victories in the past four bouts. Three of his past four outings, and six of the previous nine, have finished inside the distance. He has yet to pick up a win at the UFC level via submission, but is 0-2 by submission with a loss to Chael Sonnen Aug. 17, 2013 in the main event.

Nogueira (23-9) managed to last just 2:07 in the first round against Ryan Spann, falling by KO/TKO at UFC 237 on May 11, 2019. Nogueira will be looking for a little redemption in this one, as he lost by unanimous decision to Rua back on Aug. 1, 2015 at UFC 190. This is actually the third meeting between these two warriors, as Rua also won via unanimous decision at PRIDE: Critical Countdown 2005. Each of the 44-year-old’s past four fights have finished inside the distance, winning two and losing two. He has never had a submission victory or loss at the UFC level.

Mauricio Rua vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira betting odds

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Thursday at 8:30 a.m. ET.

RUA (-193) looks to cap off the trilogy by going a perfect 3-for-3, and there is no reason to doubt he can do it. However, the two previous fights have gone the distance, so tread lightly. Taking RUA BY DECISION (+375) could be a very lucrative decision, and it’s a sound small-unit play based upon the previous two matchups.

If you don’t feel Rua can do it again, but aren’t feeling Nogueira, playing the “fight finish” prop is a good idea. Winning on DECISION (+200) will double your investment. OVER 2.5 ROUNDS (+150) can be a nice payday, too, and you have a little wiggle room in case there is a late finish in Round 3.

To watch the full card, sign up for ESPN+ now.

If you want some action on this MMA bout, place your wagers at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and analysis, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI on Twitter, and follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and Facebook.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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UFC on ESPN 14 faceoffs video highlights, photo gallery

Check out all the fighter faceoffs ahead of UFC Fight Island 3.

ABU DHABI – After the UFC on ESPN 14 weigh-ins took place Friday, so too did fighter faceoffs, and MMA Junkie was on the scene.

In the main event, former middleweight champion [autotag]Robert Whittaker[/autotag] takes on [autotag]Darren Till[/autotag] to possibly decide the next title challenger. The card also features a trio of other ex-UFC champions in [autotag]Mauricio Rua[/autotag] (vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira), [autotag]Fabricio Werdum[/autotag] (vs. Alexander Gustafsson), and [autotag]Carla Esparza[/autotag] (vs. Marina Rodriguez).

All of those fighters made weight, but there was one miss on the card.

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Afterward, everyone came face to face. You can watch the faceoffs in the video above, as well as check out our photo gallery below.

UFC on ESPN 14 takes place Saturday at Flash Forum in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi and airs on ESPN/ESPN+.

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UFC on ESPN 14 predictions: Who’s backing Robert Whittaker to rebound on ‘Fight Island?’

Check out our staff members’ picks for the UFC on ESPN 14 main card in Abu Dhabi.

	Whittaker vs. Till	Nogueira vs. Rua	Gustafsson vs. Werdum	Esparza vs. Rodriguez	Antigulov vs. Craig	Oliveira vs. Sobotta
MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 2020: 67-44	Whittaker (65%)	Rua (87%)	Gustafsson (80%)	Rodriguez (56%)	Craig (63%)	Oliveira (86%)
Nolan King @mma_kings 2020: 81-30	Whittaker	Rua	Gustafsson	Rodriguez	Antigulov	Oliveira
Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 2020: 80-31	Till	Rua	Gustafsson	Rodriguez	Antigulov	Oliveira
Dan Tom @DanTomMMA 2020: 79-32	Whittaker	Rua	Gustafsson	Rodriguez	Craig	Oliveira
Mike Bohn @MikeBohnMMA 2020: 76-35 2014 Champion	Whittaker	Rua	Gustafsson	Rodriguez	Craig	Oliveira
Simon Head @simonhead 2020: 75-36 2019 Champion*	Till	Rua	Gustafsson	Rodriguez	Craig	Oliveira
Simon Samano @SJSamano 2020: 75-36	Whittaker	Rua	Gustafsson	Esparza	Antigulov	Oliveira
Ken Hathaway @kenshathaway 2020: 73-38 2018 Champion	Whittaker	Rua	Gustafsson	Esparza	Antigulov	Oliveira
Brian Garcia @thegoze 2020: 73-38 2017 Champion	Whittaker	Rua	Gustafsson	Esparza	Craig	Oliveira
Dave Doyle @davedoylemma 2020: 72-39	Whittaker	Rua	Gustafsson	Esparza	Antigulov	Oliveira
Danny Segura @dannyseguratv 2020: 72-39	Whittaker	Rua	Gustafsson	Rodriguez	Antigulov	Oliveira
John Morgan @MMAjunkieJohn 2020: 68-43	Whittaker	Rua	Gustafsson	Rodriguez	Craig	Oliveira
Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 2020: 67-44	Whittaker	Rua	Gustafsson	Esparza	Craig	Oliveira
George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 2020: 67-44	Whittaker	Rua	Werdum	Esparza	Craig	Oliveira
Matt Erickson @MMAjunkieMatt 2020: 45-66	Whittaker	Nogueira	Werdum	Esparza	Craig	Sobotta

The UFC wraps up its four-event “Fight Island” run this week with a former middleweight champion atop the bill.

UFC on ESPN 14 takes place Saturday at Flash Forum at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. The card airs on ESPN and streams on ESPN+.

(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)

In the main event, former UFC middleweight champion [autotag]Robert Whittaker[/autotag] (20-5 MMA, 11-3 UFC) is the overwhelming favorite with from our panel of 14 editors, writers, videographers and radio hosts. Just two of the panel have picked England’s [autotag]Darren Till[/autotag] (18-2-1 MMA, 6-2-1 UFC) to spring the upset.

In the co-main event, [autotag]Mauricio Rua[/autotag] (26-11-1 MMA, 6-6 UFC) is even more strongly favored, with all 13 of the 14 panelists siding with “Shogun”, who currently stands at 2-0 in his personal series against [autotag]Antonio Rogerio Nogueira[/autotag] (23-9 MMA, 10-9-1 UFC).

Also on the main card, former UFC light heavyweight title challenger [autotag]Alexander Gustafsson[/autotag] (18-6 MMA, 10-6 UFC) is set to move up a division to take on former UFC heavyweight champion [autotag]Fabricio Werdum[/autotag] (23-9-1 MMA, 11-6 UFC), and the panel has given its near-unanimous backing to the big Swede, with 12 of the 14 panelists picking “The Mauler” to pick up a huge win on his divisional debut.

The women’s strawweight battle between former champion [autotag]Carla Esparza[/autotag] (16-6 MMA, 7-4 UFC) and Brazilian contender [autotag]Marina Rodriguez[/autotag] (12-0-2 MMA, 2-0-2 UFC) was the tightest matchup on the card in terms of the reader vote, with Rodriguez edging it 56 percent to 44. The bout also split our panel, with seven selecting Esparza as their predicted winner and seven siding with Rodriguez.

The panel was split again for the light heavyweight fight between [autotag]Gadzhimurad Antigulov[/autotag] (20-6 MMA, 2-2 UFC) and [autotag]Paul Craig[/autotag] (12-4-1 MMA, 4-4-1 UFC) with the Scot edging it 8-6 with our panel. The readers also lean towards “The Bearjew” to get the victory, with 63 percent picking him to get the win on Saturday night.

And to open the main card, Brazilian [autotag]Alex Oliveira[/autotag] (21-8-1 MMA, 10-6-1 UFC) was a near-unanimous selection for our panel, with only one member picking his opponent, [autotag]Peter Sobotta[/autotag] (17-6-1 MMA, 4-5 UFC). “Cowboy” was also a very popular pick with our readers and, with 86 percent of the votes, he is the second-biggest reader favorite on the main card.

In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Whittaker (65 percent), Rua (87 percent), Gustafsson (80 percent), Rodriguez (56 percent), Craig (63 percent) and Oliveira (86 percent) are the choices.

Check out all the picks above.

6 burning questions heading into UFC on ESPN 14

MMA Junkie senior editor Dave Doyle walks you through the key questions UFC on ESPN 14 will answer.

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The UFC’s debut run on “Fight Island” comes to a close on Saturday with a marathon card in Abu Dhabi.

Barring any last-minute dropouts, a whopping 15 fights will go down at UFC on ESPN 14 – the most since UFC 2 in 1994 – and several of those fights are consequential.

None more so than the evening’s main event, in which [autotag]Robert Whittaker[/autotag] returns to the cage for the first time since losing the middleweight championship to Israel Adesanya. There, he’ll take on another fighter with something to prove, English star [autotag]Darren Till[/autotag]. Till, a former welterweight title challenger, has successfully transitioned to 185 pounds, and he’s looking to prove he’s here to stay in his new division.

UFC on ESPN 14 takes place Saturday at Flash Forum on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. The card airs on ESPN and streams on ESPN+.

Without further ado, here are six burning questions heading into UFC on ESPN 14.

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Does Robert Whittaker still have it?

We’ll admit that, at first glance, this looks like a bit of a harsh question to ask of someone coming off only one loss, to Adesanya at that, following a nine-fight winning streak. But then you stop and consider that Whittaker has fought only once in the past two years and twice in the past three.

And that his body doesn’t seem to want to cooperate, from knee injuries to staph infections to a collapsed bowel.

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And you also consider that, even though Whittaker (20-5 MMA, 11-3 UFC) hasn’t yet hit age 30, he’s been through some wars, including 10 absolutely grueling rounds with a killer in Yoel Romero.

Will this all go down as a detour along the way before Whittaker makes adjustments and returns to the top? Or might the lopsided second-round KO loss to Adesanya prove his ultimate turning point? A battle with Till (18-2-1 MMA, 6-2-1 UFC) should give us a strong indication which way this is going.

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