UFC light heavyweight Antônio Rogério ‘Little Nog’ Nogueira is looking to make it two victories in a row this coming April at the UFC on FUEL TV 2 event by knocking out hometown hero Alexander Gustafsson at the Swedish show.
The two headline the second FUEL TV event, set for April 14, 2012 at the Ericsson Globe Arena in Stockholm, Sweden.
Speaking to Tatame.com, Nogueira is happy to face a striker and feels his “counter attack” will help earn him the knockout versus Gustafsson.
You’re fighting in Sweden. You’ve asked for a striker and UFC gave you one.
That’s right. I train harder when I’m fighting a striker, I really like training Muay Thai, Boxing. I guess I can do a good fight. I’m a good fighter in the end of the fights, I can hold my impulse and do better later, I was born a counter attacker and that’s how I have greater chances to get the knockout. Tito Ortiz came to strike against me, and I got the knockout. Cane tried to sant-up and I got to knock him out. I can do a good fight against striker. It’s not because I don’t know Wrestling. Yes, I’m actually a lot better defending the takedowns, after I left Pride I had to adjust because the rules and the cage are different. I guess I can fight anywhere, but I rather stand-up because fans dig the knockouts and I’m a fighter who likes giving the KO to the fans.
UFC is promoting its first event in Sweden and you’re fighting in the main event of the evening. What do you think about that?
I can’t complain about UFC. They’re being good for me, I did a co-main event against Phil Davis and now against Tito Ortiz it was supposed to be the co-main event, but then they matched Lyoto up (with Jon Jones) and it was the third fight, but it’s really a big fight, almost a co-main event. Now they really know what I’m capable of and they’re really proving that and I’ll have to prove them right. I have great responsibility and I know my talent, I know what I can do, so let’s bet on my experience. I’m much more experience, I have a bigger name and I’ll bet on my name to bring this win home.
‘Little Nog’ is 1-2 in his last three, earning a first round TKO victory over Tito Ortiz at UFC 140 last December. The Brazilian used body shots to finish the former UFC champ at the Toronto show. Nogueira’s losses were to Phil Davis at UFN 24 and to Ryan Bader at UFC 119 putting his overall Octagon record at 3-2.