Light heavyweight contender
Antonio Rogerio Nogueira suffered a back injury that has forced him out of a
June 15 bout with Mauricio Rua at UFC 161 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, a source close
to the situation confirmed Sunday.
Brazil-based website
Combate.com reported Nogueira’s injury and withdrawal earlier Sunday.
Nogueira and Rua were
scheduled to fight in the co-main event in what would have been their second
meeting. Rua defeated Nogueira by unanimous decision on June 26, 2005, during a
Pride FC bout.
Nogueira-Rua II is the second
high-profile bout to fall off the UFC 161 card. Interim bantamweight
titleholder Renan Barao, who was slated to defend against Eddie Wineland,
withdrew after tearing ligaments in his foot.
Nogueira, the eighth-ranked
light heavyweight by ESPN.com, was seeking to extend his win streak to three.
In his most recent fight, Feb. 2 at UFC 156, Nogueira (21-5) scored a unanimous
decision over Rashad Evans.
Rua lost by unanimous decision
to Alexander Gustafsson in December. The former UFC light heavyweight champion
is ranked 10th by ESPN.com and has a pro record of 21-7.
UFC officials are in the
process of finding a new opponent for Rua.
A light heavyweight fight
between Evans and Dan Henderson is slated to headline UFC 161. (Source)
