R. Minotauro (photo) has been fighting professionally since 1999. Photo: Josh Hedges/UFC
the career of Rodrigo Minotauro, veteran MMA legend, is nearing the end. The former PRIDE heavyweight champion and former UFC interim champion revealed that he intends to fight two more times before the end of 2015, when he intends to hang up the gloves and dedicate himself to his personal business.
Minotauro, 38 years old, has been fighting professionally since 1999, with a successful record of 34 wins and nine losses. However, the heavyweight is not going through a good moment, as he alternates between good and bad results and has been suffering from some injuries. Precisely for this reason, Minotauro does not plan his career as a fighter in his 40s, saying that he will start paying more attention to the franchises of his academy, Team Nogueira.
“I know I won’t fight forever. I'm focused on business of Academy. It's a beautiful job, we have 9 thousand students, 32 academies. I travel all over Brazil promoting it, holding children on my lap, calling them champions and encouraging them. I intend to end my career at the end of next year, I believe. One more year. It's up to my body to handle it. There are a lot of injuries, and I'm dedicating myself to other things. I'll see in time. I have two more fights in my contract, and then I'm stopping”, said the fighter, in an interview with the website “Ag. Fight.”
Minotauro complained about the various criticisms he has received for his most recent performances, stating that Brazilian fans do not know how to value the efforts of their athletes. “They want to rush our retirement. In Brazil, people are very critical,” he commented. “People prefer to speak badly, they prefer to attack athletes instead of encouraging them. You look at Randy Couture's career. There are two victories for every defeat, and he is treated like an idol. He is Captain America, national idol. I have four wins to one defeat, and they say I need to retire. Brazilians are very critical, and I think it's a bad mentality for the athlete. The athlete, especially the more experienced one, needs encouragement. He needs the fans,” he concluded.
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