Less than two weeks after Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira announced his retirement from MMA, another legendary Brazilian heavyweight left the sport: Pedro Rizzo.
Rizzo’s final fight took place Saturday, Sept. 12, at Face to Face 12 in Vitoria, Brazil. Originally scheduled to face Travis Fulton, Rizzo’s opponent was changed less than two weeks out from the event when the American withdrew with a heart problem. Instead, “The Rock” took on Hawaii native Andrew Flores Smith in a bout broadcast live in Brazil on cable channel Combate.
With master Marco Ruas in his corner and the crowd screaming his name, Rizzo was clearly nervous as he stepped into the cage.