The UFC has confirmed the rumored heavyweight fight between former Pride FC and UFC champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Brendan Schaub. The contest will be part of UFC 134, which takes place on Aug. 27 at the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro.
Nogueira pulled out of a scheduled bout at UFC 119 with a knee injury. Now, he is set to return. Despite being one of the most accomplished Brazilian fighters in the history of the sport, he will fight in his home country for the first time at UFC 134.
“Minotauro” won the Pride heavyweight title with a decision victory over Heath Herring in 2001. Seven years later, he submitted Tim Sylvia with a guillotine choke to claim the interim UFC title at UFC 81.
After falling to Roy Nelson in the finals of the 10th season of “The Ultimate Fighter,” Schaub has reeled off four-straight victories. In his last fight, he knocked out Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic at UFC 128.
Headlining UFC 134, also known as UFC: Rio, is a middleweight title fight. Champion Anderson Silva will defend his belt against Yushin Okami.