Having not seen the Octagon for almost two years, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira will finally make his return to the UFC when he faces heavyweight prospect Brendan Schaub at UFC Rio.
In an exclusive interview TATAME.com, Nogueira said he was fully healed and prepared to finish Schaub.
In fact, fellow-teammate and UFC featherweight champion, Jose Aldo is confident Nogueira can make a successful comeback and pick up his first win in two years.
“I believe this bout against Schaub is a great chance for Rodrigo to do a good comeback, mainly for the Brazilian fans, in Rio de Janeiro,” Aldo told TATAME.com.
Nogueira last competed at UFC 110 against current UFC heavyweight champion, Cain Velasquez. The Brazilian looked sluggish and he was picked apart by his opponent, who knocked out Nogueira in the first round.
Nogueira claimed he had been suffering from preexisting injuries prior to his bout with Velasquez, which hindered his performance.
But now, Nogueira will return to the UFC in front of a more suitable atmosphere: his country of Brazil. And it would be fitting for him to earn a victory in front of his home crowd, which Aldo adds will bring a positive atmosphere to his teammate, and will help him earn a victory.
“It’ll be great to see a great idol, like he is, fighting in Brazil and I guess this responsibility will be a positive factor for Nogueira, who surely will do a good job and get a win, with a submission, which is what we all expect him to do,” he said.
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