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Brendan Schaub Angling for Big Nog Fight in Rio

(On the bright side, at least Mirko’s foot didn’t twist around 180 degrees this time.)

Following a year’s worth of layoffs due to surgery on his knee and hips, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira announced this weekend that he’d be returning to action at UFC 134 (aka ‘UFC Rio‘) on August 27th. He didn’t name an opponent, but said that he’s “looking forward to fighting in the co-main event.” His longtime training partner Anderson Silva will be headlining the show against Yushin Okami.

Though Nogueira’s boxing coach Luis Dorea suggested a rematch with Mirko Cro Cop for Big Nog’s return fight, UFC heavyweight contender Brendan Schaub is trying to call dibs on the fight himself:

(On the bright side, at least Mirko’s foot didn’t twist around 180 degrees this time.)

Though Nogueira’s boxing coach Luis Dorea suggested a rematch with Mirko Cro Cop for Big Nog’s return fight, UFC heavyweight contender Brendan Schaub is trying to call dibs on the fight himself:

“We are lobbying daily for the fight,” said Schaub’s manager Lex McMahon in a text to ESPN.com. “As of now, we have not been offered the fight. We are optimistic that if [Nogueira] is healthy, Brendan has a good shot to be his opponent in Brazil…Also, I’m a huge Cro Cop fan and have tremendous respect for him, but it seems a stretch that Cro Cop would fight [Nogueira] in Brazil after Brendan knocked him out with one of the most vicious KOs I’ve ever seen. Brendan is one of the most dominant fighters in the division and we’re hopeful the UFC will reward him with the great honor of fighting in Rio.”

Schaub has racked up four-consecutive victories in the Octagon, establishing himself as a serious heavyweight contender with his recent wins over Cro Cop and Gabriel Gonzaga. Nogueira would be another big-name feather in the Hybrid’s cap — and there’s no better time to challenge him than when he’s coming off a battery of injuries and surgeries. Very clever, Brendan.

Of course, the UFC might set Big Nog up with a less dangerous opponent if they want the Brazilian legend to pick up a comeback victory on his home turf. And if that’s the case, we just might see Cro Cop going through the motions one last time.

By the Way, Jon Jones Won’t Be Having That Surgery on His Hand After All

(“What has two relatively healthy thumbs and just screwed with Rashad Evans’s career? This guy!” Photo courtesy of Francis Specker.)

Well, this isn’t going to help the credibility of that swagger-jackin’ Jon Jones. Bones’s manager Malki Kawa took to twitter today with a revelation that will only give more ammunition to the haters who found it a little suspicious that the UFC light-heavyweight champion postponed a fight against Rashad Evans to fix a thumb injury that “doesn’t affect [his] punching or grappling“:

I guess its time to put out the truth. @Jonnybones suffered a tear in his thumb in 2 different spots… Every dr he saw said to have surgery. We went to meet with the surgeon on wed and after he looked at @Jonnybones he thought that surgery was a bit [invasive] and bones didn’t have To have if he didn’t want to. @Jonnybones decided against surgery, and we immediately met with dana and lorenzo the next day to get his next fight scheduled.

(“What has two relatively healthy thumbs and just screwed with Rashad Evans’s career? This guy!” Photo courtesy of Francis Specker.)

For the record, every doctor @Jonnybones saw was a @ufc referred doctor. The very last one on the day before surgery thought against it…And to be quite frank, @Johnnybones never wanted to have surgery, the doctors advice all along was to have the procedure done. No @Jonnybones is not fighting rashad. Rashad is fighting phil davis. I’ll let you know who or when jon will fight real soon.

Do we think Jones ducked Rashad because he’s afraid of his former training partner? Of course not. Judging from the flawless beatings Jones has inflicted on guys like Mauricio Rua and Ryan Bader, that’s a ludicrous suggestion. Unfortunately, perception is reality, and Rashad can now hijack the narrative with the talking point that Jones pulled out of their fight with a fake injury, just to avoid fighting him. (Look, he’s already doing it!) At this point, turning public sentiment against Jones is probably as important to Evans as beating him in a fight. Get ready for a whole lot of mud to be slung…

Good News: Matt Hughes Won’t Be Charged For Accidentally Busting That Woman’s Nose (Allegedly)

(I know, right? Whaddya gonna do.)

Just an update on that business about Matt Hughes shoving some dude into a woman’s nose at an Illinois bar last month. According to a TMZ report published yesterday, Hughes will not be charged with a crime related to the incident:

TMZ spoke with the Illinois State’s Attorney … who told us there was not enough evidence to prove the fighter committed a battery when he allegedly shoved another man into a female bystander at the Trails End Bar and Grill in Taylor Springs, IL.

In other words, Matt Hughes and War Machine won’t be sharing a cell any time soon. But my God, that would make for an amazing sitcom…

(I know, right? Whaddya gonna do.)

In other words, Matt Hughes and War Machine won’t be sharing a cell any time soon. But my God, that would make for an amazing sitcom…

Photo of the Day: Pigs Fly, Josh Barnett and Dana White Reunite

(“By the way, my offer to piss in your mouth? I’m still down if you are.” Photo courtesy of JoshLBarnett.)

The UFC is holding its annual Fighter Summit this week in Las Vegas, bringing together the entire UFC and Strikeforce rosters for the purposes of education and camaraderie — pretty boring stuff, judging from Gegard Mousasi’s amazingly child-like doodles. But it did provide opportunities for old rivals to rub shoulders. Josh Barnett posted this photo yesterday evening with the note, “Pigs have now flown. Watch for Hell to freeze over next. Me and @danawhite together again.”

Barnett has publicly criticized the UFC and Dana White in the past, but when Zuffa bought Strikeforce in March, all of a sudden DW was a pretty fucking metal dude in Josh’s opinion. (That’s a compliment.) Barnett is scheduled to face Brett Rogers at Strikeforce’s “Overeem vs. Werdum” event on June 18th in Dallas. Whether he has a future in the company after that is still anybody’s guess, no matter how friendly he and Dana appear to be when somebody’s pointing a camera-phone at them.

(“By the way, my offer to piss in your mouth? I’m still down if you are.” Photo courtesy of JoshLBarnett.)

Gina Carano Gets Physical (Again) in New ‘Haywire’ Movie Photos

Props to UG member “pervert” (naturally). Click for full-size version; two more after the jump. Haywire is now slated for an August release.

Wednesday Morning MMA Link Club

(Edith Labelle: Still alive. Photo proof via Harris Masood/MMAMania)

Some selected highlights from our friends around the MMA blogosphere. E-mail [email protected] for details on how your site can join the MMA Link Club…

– Five Lessons: UFC 129 (NBC Sports MMA)

– Jon Fitch Says He and GSP Both Deserve Some Criticism for Decisions (MMA Fighting)

– Watch and Listen: The 50 Best Entrance Songs in the History of the UFC (BleacherReport.com/MMA)

– Tim Kennedy Weighs in on the Killing of Osama Bin Laden (MiddleEasy)

– Bob Sapp Was Busy Being Bob Sapp Last Weekend (MMA-Scraps)

– Great Expectations: The Problem With Georges St. Pierre (MMA Convert)

– Vladimir Matyushenko Wants Tito Ortiz or Little Nog Next (LowKick)

– Gabriel Gonzaga to Emerge From Brief Retirement at ‘Heavyweight Xplosion’ in June (Five Ounces of Pain)

– Jake Ellenberger Undergoes Hand Surgery Following UFC 129 Knockout Victory (5thRound)