Guilherme Cruz - RIO DE JANEIRO -- Renzo Gracie wants to fight again, but Dana White doesn’t seem to like the idea.
The 46-year-old veteran recently told Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour that he’s back training and aiming at a return to the Octagon next year. UFC president Dana White told the media during the UFC 168 media day that he doesn’t see a point for Gracie's return.
"I have to ask Renzo Gracie why," White said. "Renzo, you've been around forever, you've accomplished so many things. You have the respect of the entire combat world in every country. I just don’t know why he wants to come back at his age and fight again."
Renzo Gracie (13-7-1, 1 NC) signed a six-fight contract with the UFC after Abu Dhabi’s Flash Entertainment purchased 10 percent of UFC’s parent company Zuffa in 2010 and made his Octagon debut at UFC 112 in Abu Dhabi, losing to Matt Hughes via TKO. Gracie’s last win took place in 2007 against Frank Shamrock at EliteXC.
"I mean," White continued, "he lost badly to Matt Hughes, who was at the end of his career too."
Speaking of Abu Dhabi, White revealed he’s scheduled to visit Sheikh Tahnoon Bin Zayed Al Nahyan after UFC Fight Night 30.
"I'm going back to Abu Dhabi in October," he said. "After the Manchester fight, me and Lorenzo (Fertitta) are flying down there and meeting with the crown prince and Sheikh Tahnoon and all those guys. We'll probably be there for two or three days to talk about what's up and what's next."
