Sao Paulo, Brazil will host part two of the UFC’s big double header today in an effort to combat the big Bellator Card on Spike down the dial, and also the Boxing Pay Per View Title Fight tonight.
The main event is worth watching as Ryan Bader takes on Antonio Rogerio Nogueira in a rematch of their 2010 clash back at UFC 119.
So much has changed since then. At the time, the decision victory put Bader record at a perfect 12-0 and he was in the middle of the Light Heavyweight Title picture. He would then promptly lose to Jon Bones Jones and never receive his title shot.
Since the loss to Jones, his career has gone in waves with ups and downs. He lost his next two out of four fights following the loss to Jones. Losses against legends such as Lyoto Machida and Tito Ortiz, but wins against Rampage Jackson and Vladimir Matushenko.
Bader struggled in another loss to Glover Teixeira in September 2013, but followed that up with a great run of victories. Between Dec 7, 2013 and January 2016, he rattled off 5 straight wins against such luminaries as Rashad Evans and Phil Davis.
It placed him once again, one big win away from a title shot. This time it was a crushing first round knockout by Anthony Johnson that ended that hope.
Bader now looks to begin another run towards a title shot. Fresh off a win in September against Llir Latifi, a second round KO by Knee, Bader still has a lot left in his tank at the age of 33. His opponent tonight is Antônio Rogério Nogueira.
Nogueira never quite reached the level of success his older brother did in the sport, but he is no slouch either and holds an impressive resume of victories. He has wins over the likes of Alistair Overeem, Dan Henderson, Tito Ortiz and Rashad Evans. He does have that one loss against Bader from 2010 however.
I believe the second verse will be the same as the first, despite being in Nogueiras hometown. I look for a grind out decision win from Bader.
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