Classic Fight: Big Nog Submits (Go Figure) Some Poor Bastard in His Second Professional Fight

(Fight starts at the 1:27 mark. Major props to MMAFighting for the find.) 

And now, it’s time for your daily dose of “Minotauro.”

With Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira set to face off against opposing TUF: Brazil 2 coach Fabricio Werdum (how neither of them went down with an injury over the course of the season is simply remarkable) in a rematch of their 2006 Pride: Critical Countdown Absolute showdown this weekend, the classic Big Nog footage continues to roll out.

Today’s history lesson comes courtesy of the official Team Nogueira Youtube page and depicts Nogueira’s second professional fight, which took place all the way back in October of 1999. He was a younger Minotauro, a faster Minotauro, a Minotauro who had no idea of the horrors that awaited him in his life’s pursuit. Despite holding a 13 pound weight advantage (or as Tim Sylvia would call it “no weight advantage”), Nog’s opponent, Nate Schroeder, similarly had no idea that he would be stepping into the cage against a future legend of the sport and human boa constrictor. The result was as you’d expect: Nogueira by armbar in under two minutes. Sorry, I forgot to mention the obligatory **SPOILER ALERT**.

Nogueira would win his next four fights (before bumping into Dan Henderson at the 1999 King of Kings Tournament Semifinal), eventually sign with Pride, and yadda yadda yadda LEGEND. To his credit, Schroeder would go on to compile an 11-10 record in MMA, including a notable victory over Paul Buentello and a lone UFC appearance at UFC 26: Ultimate Field of Dreams. He would end up tapping to the strikes of Ian Freeman in the second round of said octagon appearance, but hey, what the hell have any of YOU done with YOUR lives?

J. Jones


(Fight starts at the 1:27 mark. Major props to MMAFighting for the find.) 

And now, it’s time for your daily dose of “Minotauro.”

With Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira set to face off against opposing TUF: Brazil 2 coach Fabricio Werdum (how neither of them went down with an injury over the course of the season is simply remarkable) in a rematch of their 2006 Pride: Critical Countdown Absolute showdown this weekend, the classic Big Nog footage continues to roll out.

Today’s history lesson comes courtesy of the official Team Nogueira Youtube page and depicts Nogueira’s second professional fight, which took place all the way back in October of 1999. He was a younger Minotauro, a faster Minotauro, a Minotauro who had no idea of the horrors that awaited him in his life’s pursuit. Despite holding a 13 pound weight advantage (or as Tim Sylvia would call it “no weight advantage”), Nog’s opponent, Nate Schroeder, similarly had no idea that he would be stepping into the cage against a future legend of the sport and human boa constrictor. The result was as you’d expect: Nogueira by armbar in under two minutes. Sorry, I forgot to mention the obligatory **SPOILER ALERT**.

Nogueira would win his next four fights (before bumping into Dan Henderson at the 1999 King of Kings Tournament Semifinal), eventually sign with Pride, and yadda yadda yadda LEGEND. To his credit, Schroeder would go on to compile an 11-10 record in MMA, including a notable victory over Paul Buentello and a lone UFC appearance at UFC 26: Ultimate Field of Dreams. He would end up tapping to the strikes of Ian Freeman in the second round of said octagon appearance, but hey, what the hell have any of YOU done with YOUR lives?

J. Jones