Rehabilitation on a surgically repaired elbow and a leading role in Sylvester Stallone's The Expendables prompted Randy Couture to decline a fight against Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (31-5-1, 1 NC) for the first half of 2009, the five-time UFC champion confirmed to SI.com.
"I had to," Couture, who turns 46 in June, said via text message. "Had to have my left elbow scoped. There were two loose bodies in there! Old nagging injury."
A pair of abnormally large bone spurs were removed from The Natural's elbow on Thursday. While training for his failed UFC heavyweight title defense in November against Brock Lesnar, Couture aggravated the joint, which was mined for a pair of 16-centimeter spurs.
With shooting for the film set to begin in Brazil this March, Couture (16-9) chose after the holidays to undergo surgery. When UFC president Dana White brought the fight to Couture on Wednesday, the organization's former heavyweight and light heavyweight champion said he had no choice but to pass.
Asked if he desired a fight with the 32-year-old Nogueira, the longtime Pride heavyweight champion who was stopped for the first time in 38 fights by Frank Mir on Dec. 27, Couture answered simply: "yes."
Credit:Sports Illustrated
