Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua once again edged out Antonio Rogerio Nogueira on the scorecards tonight at UFC On ESPN 14 to send the Brazilian legend into retirement on a split decision loss.
Round One:
Inside leg kick for Shogun. A brief lull in the action and then another leg kick from Shogun. He goes for it again, but doesn’t connect this time.
Shogun closes the distance throwing right hooks and presses Nogueira up against the cage. Knees to the inside of the thigh from Rua.
Shogun opts to disengage from the clinch and is back to the center of the cage. Solid left hand lands for Nogueira. Shogun battles forward with a short flurry of punches.
Another low leg kick for Shogun. Punch lands for Nogueira and Shogun misses with his counters. Shogun does then connect with a punch.
Shogun circling on the outside now. There’s an exchange of punches at close range. Shogun into the clinch against the cage and then back out again.
Shogun with a good hook that hurts Nogueira. But then Noguiera lands a powerful straight left of his own and that backs up Shogun. Both men have shown they can be a threat here and now Shogun opts to go for a takedown and lands it, enabling him to stay on top until the round ends.
Round Two:
Body kick from Shogun. He charges forward pumping out the right hand and clinches up against the cage. Knees for Shogun.
Shogun lands a leg kick. Glancing right hand connects now. Nogueira just missing with a left hand. Kick for Shogun.
Nice straight left for Nogueira. Body kick from Shogun. Nogueira with a shoulder barge to work a takedown here and settles into Shogun’s guard.
Body punches and then to the head from Nogueira. Half the round remaining. Shogun shrimps his hips out and stands nicely.
Punch for Shogun. Now a body kick. Shogun trying for a takedown, but Nogueira stuffs it. Nogueira misses and Shogun lands a counter.
Shogun lands the inside leg kick. left hook for Shogun. He lands and Nogueira misses on the counter. Body kick for Shogun.
Nogueira trying to edge into range and throws straight punches that just miss. Nogueira trying to hunt Shogun down, but there’s no more action in the final seconds of the round.
Round Three:
Shogun with right hands to start. Inside leg kick for Shogun and Nogueira was off-balance after that one.
Again the calf kick from Shogun. He goes for a body kick too. left hook gets through for Shogun. He tries to wade in again, but Nogueira lands on the counter nicely.
Straight left for Nogueira. Quick exchange of punches. Inside leg kick from Shogun. Left hand for Nogueira.
Good body kick for Shogun. He misses a left hook. Again with the body kick as Nogueira tries to counter.
One-two for Nogueira. Body kick from Shogun. Right hook, straight left from Nogueira. Again the left hand gets through for Nogueira and a counter from Shogun. Shogun with an inside leg kick.
Cuffing punch from Shogun. Shogun gets a takedown. Nogueira would like to get the guillotine choke, but nothing doing.
Shogun in Nogueira’s half-guard. He’s picking out some punches and elbows here. Final 10 seconds as Shogun tries to land a few hammerfists, while Nogueira shifts position underneath him. We’re headed to the scorecards.
Decision:
Despite their advanced years Shogun and Nogueira’s trilogy fight was still close and competitive from start to finish, and once again it’s Shogun who gets the nod from the judges by split decision (29-28 x2, 28-29) to defeats his rival for the third time.
