They say you can’t stop time but Brazilians Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and Antonio Rogerio “Lil Nog” Nogueira gave it plenty of pause for thought on Sunday, the two ageing warriors of the cage battling themselves to the point of exhaustion at the end of Fight Island 3. The light heavyweight bout – the third lifetime clash between the pair – ended in a split decision to Rua (27-11-1) but along the way the pair had both rolled back the years, with echoes of their previous, similarly enthralling, clashes in 2005 and again in 2015. “I’m very happy. I’ve won three times against a legend,” said Rua. “Every fight with Nogueira is a war. This is one more step in my career.” Both fighters had both landed huge shots in the first – including a big left from Nogueira (23-10) that staggered Rua, for a second. They later crashed to the canvas like two ancient felled oaks, too, and the blows, to body and leg and head, sounded out through the empty Flash Forum. Legends never die #PRIDENeverDie #UFCFightIsland3 pic.twitter.com/okl00Bdt5s — ESPN MMA (@espnmma) July 26, 2020 Come the last and it was still all out there to fight for but the younger Rua – at 38 to Nogueira’s 44 – finished on top, and in some control. It proved enough to separate the pair, with the judges going 29-28, 28-29, 29-28 to Rua. There was a combined 40-odd years of experience in the cage on show here, a meeting of two fighters who had seen and done it all – across the globe – as the sport of MMA has expanded its reach. The first time these two guys met was on June 26, 2005, back when Japan’s legendary Pride promotion was still allowing soccer kicks to the head. The three-round battle that followed picked up assorted global Fight of the Year gongs and is the sort of bout that sends veteran fighters – and fans – all misty eyed at the memory. There was a touch of that from Rua during media day earlier in the week. When asked if he’d like those kicks to be allowed once again, Rua had looked off camera wistfully, smiled and nodded with the air of an old soldier recalling some far off war. Rua kept saying, also, that he thought he had a few more battles left to wage in the UFC before he calls time on his remarkable career. One last crack at a title shot might be pushing things, even in a light heavyweight division that seems – as always – to be wide open, given the trials and tribulations of current champ Jon “Bones’ Jones (26-1, one no contest). Masvidal ‘should send me his tequila’ for UFC 251 payday, says Burns But who could begrudge the warrior a few more paydays? “I’ll go back to Brazil now and I will relax,” said Rua. “In two days I will talk to my manager and plan my next step.” For Nogueira it was the end of a long, often brilliant and never less-than entertaining career. “I’m done,” he said. “It’s time for the new generation to come.” There was a rude introduction to the heavyweights for Sweden’s Alexander “The Mauler” Gustaffson (18-7), up in pounds against the former champ in Fabricio Werdum (24-9-1), and way up in class. The 42-year-old Brazilian monstered the Swede to the mat, and then laid on an arm bar at 2:30 of the first to force the tap. The depth of talent within the women’s strawweights was on display again – as if we needed reminding having witnessed America’s Rose Namajunas (10-4) and the Brazilian Jessica Andrade (20-8) duke it out brilliantly back at UFC 251 on July 12 The now-No 1 Namajunas was bloodied and bruised but bludgeoned her way into title contention against the reigning champ in China’s Zhang “Magnum” Weili (21-1). Seventh-ranked American Carla “Cookie Monster” Esparza (18-6) was the UFC’s inaugural queen of the division and showed on Sunday she’s still right in the mix, shaking off a series of brutal straight rights from Brazil’s Marina Rodriguez (12-1-2) as her left eye swollen and opened. But the 32-year-old just kept coming forward and (somehow) her face held itself together as she took a split decision from the judges (28-29, 29-28, 30-27). “I was expecting some heavy punches, some big knees and elbows,” said Esparza, who’s now on a 4-0 run. “Man, she split me open. I just got to go and get some impressive wins, some finishes. I’m getting a step closer.” The main card had opened up in sensational style with the rumours continuing to swirl around Sweden’s Khamzat “Borz” Chimaev (8-0) being confirmed as fact. The 26-year-old is seriously good. He made short work of Northern Ireland’s Rhys McKee (10-3-1) to take his run in the UFC – and in the past two weeks – to 2-0. Chimaev didn’t get touched on Sunday – not once – and now he wants to go deep. “Everybody in my division, I’m going to smash them,” he said