Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) hoped that Maurico Rua and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira could recapture the magic of their epic battle at Pride FC: "Critical Countdown" tonight (Sat., Aug. 1, 2015) in the co-main event of UFC 190, which took place inside HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
It was a good rematch, but it didn't hold a candle to their first fight about one decade ago. That would be impossible.
Rua kicked off the action, literally, but missed with a high kick. His second attempt landed solid across Nogueira's mid-section. Both fighters next traded short left hands, ending in a flurry, before they tied up along the fence.