UPDATED: Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira Retires From MMA

UPDATE: The UFC has sent out the following, announcing that Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira has retired and that he will serve as an Athlete Relations Ambassador for UFC Brazil…

ANTONIO RODRIGO ‘MINOTAURO’ NOGUEIRA JOINS UFC® BRAZIL AS ATHLETE RELATIONS AMBASSADOR

Sao Paulo – Mixed martial arts (MMA) legend Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, known by fans worldwide as “Minotauro,” officially announced his retirement from UFC® competition today. While his fighting days may have come to a close, his work in the MMA community is only beginning as he will serve as an Athlete Relations Ambassador for UFC® Brazil.

As part of his new contract, Nogueira will provide services for a number of initiatives in the Brazil region. He will serve as a liaison for the organization between athletes, sponsors, media and government bodies, as well as act as a mentor in the development of young athletes. Additionally, Nogueira will assist in identifying rising talent throughout Brazil as UFC® continues to seek the best athletes for its roster.

“‘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. He will be a huge asset to the UFC, the athletes and the sport as an ambassador. I look forward to working with him in this new chapter of his life.”
Nogueira added: “It’s a great pleasure and an honor for me to further my ties with the UFC. I’ve always had a passion to follow the development of new athletes and that’s what I intend to continue doing. 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 appreciate all the confidence that Dana White, Lorenzo Fertitta and Frank Fertitta have in me, and I believe we will reach big results together. I know that I can, and will, contribute much to the growth of our sport outside of the Octagon.”

ORIGINAL: According to Guilherme Cruz from @MMAFighting in Brazil, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (34-10-1, 1 NC, 5-6 UFC) has announced his retirement from MMA. He will take a job with the UFC. Dana White had stated that this would happen after Nogueira’s loss to Stefan Struve at UFC 190, but Nogueira had originally denied reports, stating that his future was uncertain. Big Nog went 2-5 since 2010, with losses to Cain Velasquez (RD1 KO), Frank Mir (RD1 technical submission), Fabricio Werdum (RD 2 submission), Roy Nelson (RD1 KO) and Struve (decision).