Roy Nelson is promising an explosive heavyweight bout when he meets Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira in the top-billed event at the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s Abu Dhabi Fight Night.

‘Big Country’ and former interim heavyweight champion Nogueira square off at du Arena on Yas Island on Friday as the championship makes its long-awaited return to the capital for the first time since 2010.

The pair head a card packed with intriguing matches that will showcase world-class mixed martial arts competitors scrapping for honour in the octagon.

Nelson has vowed he and his fellow veteran will not take a step backwards when they face off.

“Big Nog [Nogueira] is like me, we are old-school fighters who try to finish the fight,” the American said. “We are not trying to see who will win for 15 minutes, we do not think like that, we are not looking to win on points.

“Big Nog will try to finish me in the first [round] as much as he will in the third. The difference with his style is he will go to the ground a bit more. I do not want to be on my back, fans prefer to see me knock someone out.

“I am expecting to go all three rounds as Big Nog is a former champion, and you have to be prepared for everything with those sort of guys.”

The duo head into the contest with Nelson two spots ahead of his rival at No9 in the UFC heavyweight rankings. Both the 37-year-olds are strong strikers, but it is in that area where ‘Big Country’ will aim to hurt his more submission-based opponent. In 29 mixed martial arts fights, 12 have been decided in Nelson’s favour with first round knockouts or technical knockouts.

The thick-set, bearded Nelson has not been stopped in more than five years and resembles a traditional stand-up brawler in person. But his appearance does not tell the whole story.

‘Big Country’ is a long-time student of Brazilian jiu-jitsu and he has competed in a previous Abu Dhabi Grappling Championship meeting in Brazil.

He said: “It is kind of hard for people to remember the reason why I am in fighting. It is because of jiu-jitsu (a grappling-based martial art). But everyone loves to watch me knock people out and I give them what they want.

“The Abu Dhabi fans are smart jiu-jitsu guys, so they might prefer me to choke someone out or do an armbar.

“For myself, my attitude for the fight is I have to be better at everything. I have to be better at stand up, better with my ground work.”

Nelson arrives in the UAE on the back of a two-fight losing streak after unanimous points decision went against him to Daniel Cormier and Stipe Miocic. He insisted he felt no extra pressure heading into the weekend, and was instead excited about battling an icon of the sport.

“I always wanted to fight the best guys in the world,” he said. “With Big Nog, I am fighting against a legend.

“You are always fighting guys you look up to [in the UFC]. I am always in awe.

“Fights are all the same. It does not matter if you are fighting a legend or a new guy on the street.

“You just want to go out there and give 100 per cent.”

FIGHT CARD

Main
Roy Nelson v Antonio Nogueira
Clay Guida v Tatsuya Kawajiri
John Howard v Ryan LaFlare
Beneil Dariush v Ramsey Nijem

Preliminary
Daniel Omielanczuk v Jared Rosholt
Johnny Bedford v Rani Yahya
Thales Leites v Trevor Smith
Chris Camozzi v Andrew Craig
Jim Alers v Alan Omer