Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Roy Nelson are both out to prove they aren't nearing the end of their respective MMA careers. At UFC Fight Night 39, the slumping heavyweights will meet in the fight card's main attraction.
Hampered by injuries, Nogueira has not fought over the past 10 months. The Brazilian hasn't won since an October 2012 bout with Dave Herman, so he may need to return to the win column on Friday in order to remain relevant in the title equation.
Nelson, meanwhile, has lost two in a row. He's a big name in the heavyweight class, but a poor showing against Nogueira that results in a third consecutive loss could lead to "Big Country" looking for a new promotion.
In addition to the heavyweight feature, the upcoming UFC fight card will showcase featherweights Clay Guida and Tatsuya Kawajiri. The winner of their matchup in the co-main event could be one more big victory away from a shot at the championship.
The UFC Fight Night 39 weigh-ins will be held on Thursday at 8 a.m. ET. When the weigh-ins begin, live video will be available through the above stream.
Below is the entire fight card for UFC Fight Night 39, which will be held on Friday in Abu Dhabi.
UFC Fight Night 39 Main Card (2 p.m. ET on UFC Fight Pass)
- Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Roy Nelson
- Clay Guida vs. Tatsuya Kawajiri
- John Howard vs. Ryan LaFlare
- Ramsey Nijem vs. Beneil Dariush
UFC Fight Night 39 Prelims (Noon ET on UFC Fight Pass)
- Jared Rosholt vs. Daniel Omielanczuk
- Rani Yahya vs. Johnny Bedford
- Thales Leites vs. Trevor Smith
- Chris Camozzi vs. Andrew Craig
- Alan Omer vs. Jim Alers
