UFC Legends Set to Return for Boxing Match Nearly 4 Years After Their Last UFC Fights

The two retired MMA stars will headline a boxing event in their native Brazil.

(Zuffa LLC)

A pair of former UFC light heavyweight champions are set to return to fighting and make their respective boxing debuts against one another in August.

Although the trend has calmed down somewhat as of late, there was a period not too long ago where boxing seemed to be the go-to avenue for former MMA stars looking to get back into fighting and hopefully secure a lucrative payday.

Spaten Fight Night has already headlined two events with boxing bouts between former UFC rivals Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen and Acelino Freitas vs. UFC veteran and PRIDE legend Wanderlei Silva, and apparently the Brazilian promotion is sticking with that formula for its next event.

UFC Legends Return for Boxing Match at Spaten Fight Night 3

Scheduled to take place on August 29 in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Spaten Fight Night 3 will be headlined by a boxing match between former UFC light heavyweight titleholders Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and Glover Teixeira.

Both men will be making their respective boxing debuts, with Rua returning for the first time since a knockout-loss to Ihor Potiera brought his MMA career to an end at UFC 283.

Mauricio Rua (red gloves) reacts with Ihor Potieria (blue gloves) after their fight during UFC 283 at Jeunesse Arena. | Jason da Silva-Imagn Images

That event also saw Teixeira make his final MMA appearance in the night’s main event, where he dropped a unanimous decision to Jamahal Hill in a fight for the vacant UFC light heavyweight belt.

Glover Teixeira (red gloves) fights Jamahal Hill (blue gloves) during UFC 283 at Jeunesse Arena. | Jason da Silva-Imagn Images

Glover Teixeira & "Shogun" Rua Both Held the UFC Light Heavyweight Belt

Teixeira returned to action six months after losing to Hill and defeated fellow UFC veteran Anthony Smith in a grappling match at UFC Fight Pass Invitational r, but since then the 46-year-old has been content with helping coach former two-division UFC titleholder Alex Pereira.

Alex Pereira (blue gloves) celebrates after beating Jiri Prochazka (red gloves) during UFC 295 at Madison Square Garden. | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Already a veteran of 19 professional MMA fights by the time he made his UFC debut in 2012, Teixeira went 5-0 to start his UFC career but came up short in a light heavyweight title bid against Jon Jones at UFC 172. The Brazilian eventually fought his way back to a title shot more than seven years
later and unseated Jan Błachowicz before relinquishing the belt to Jiří Procházka in an epic title
fight at UFC 275.

Mauricio Rua (red gloves) kicks Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (blue gloves) in their light heavyweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event inside Flash Forum. | Handout Photo-Imagn Images

Rua also won the light heavyweight belt in a rematch with his countryman Lyoto Machida at UFC 113 but was submitted by Jones in his first title defense the following year. “Shogun” was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2024, and his legacy in MMA was already secured by an incredible career in PRIDE even before he joined the UFC in 2007.