As far as opponents go, Nissen Osterneck (5-2 MMA, 0-2 UFC) wasn't the best UFC middleweight Jorge Rivera (16-7 MMA, 5-5 UFC) has faced in his near-eight-year career.
However, his recent split-decision win over Osterneck at "UFC Fight Night 18: Condit vs Kampmann" may prove to be Rivera's most pivotal, as it will now serve as the building block for one last run before retirement.
"I think this might be my last year," Rivera recently told MMAjunkie.com Radio (
www.mmajunkie.com/radio). "I just want to buckle down, push real hard for this one year, and see what I can do."
Rivera, the always-tough Massachusetts resident who has faced the likes of Martin Kampmann, Kendall Grove, Terry Martin, Chris Leben, Anderson Silva, Rich Franklin, Mark Weir, Lee Murray, David Loiseau and Travis Lutter, touched on his April 1 bout with Osterneck, then turned to explaining the reasons for winding down his fight career.
The 37-year-old announced that his status is now "fight to fight," but added "I'll see how my game is growing; I'll see where I think I stand and take it from there."
Rivera cited increased wear and tear on his body, as well as family commitments, as two of the primary reasons why he feels this may be his final run in the UFC.
In the immediate future, Rivera plans to take some time off - time prompted by his scheduled shoulder surgery on Thursday for an injury that occurred prior to the Osterneck fight.
"My left shoulder, my AC (acromioclavicular) Joint is blown," Rivera said. "Right now I'm going to be out six weeks for the surgery alone, then I'll get back into training and hopefully get a fight soon."
The severe injury did not prevent Rivera from having his hand raised at the end of his UFC Fight Night 18 bout, as he bested Osterneck via split decision in an un-televised preliminary card contest, pulling his UFC record to .500 over a five-and-a-half year span.
"I felt it was a close fight, but I definitely felt I won the fight," Rivera said.
And at this stage in his career, the veteran admits that winning is the secret to setting up future projects after he stops lacing up the four-ounce gloves.
"I'm just thinking about what I need to do to set myself with the next phase of my life, and obviously I want the W's," Rivera said.
Win or lose in the next 12 months, "El Conquistador" knows that he can take pride in the fact that he has tested himself against the cream of the crop in his division.
"That's what it's all about to me, to challenge yourself," Rivera said. "What's the point of fighting if your not going to challenge yourself and go against the best?
"When it's all said and done I will be able to say something most people can't say: I fought the best of the best."
