Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira and Roy Nelson will compete against one another in the main event at UFC Fight Night 39 in Abu Dhabi.
The two heavyweights enter the evening ranked No. 11 and No. 9 respectively. The winner may have an o…
Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira and Roy Nelson will compete against one another in the main event at UFC Fight Night 39 in AbuDhabi.
The two heavyweights enter the evening ranked No. 11 and No. 9 respectively. The winner may have an outside shot of working themselves back into title contention, and the loser will all but see his hopes dashed in the heat of the United Arab Emirates.
Nogueira has not had back-to-back wins since a three-fight win streak was snapped in 2008. Since that time he has traded wins and losses. We last seen him inside the cage in a losing effort to No. 2-ranked Fabricio Werdum last summer.
The 37-year-old has a stiff challenge in Nelson. He will have to have a resurgence in order to nab a win away from the younger man.
These are Minotauro‘s keys to victory for UFC Fight Night 39.
Point Fight
Everyone loves a finish, but Minotauro has to be realistic in this matchup.
Nelson is notoriously hard to finish. He can take shots on the feet without going down, and on the mat he is one of the most competent grapplers. This is not a great matchup for Nogueira in his current athletic state.
He needs to point fight.
Nogueira should look to touch Nelson up on his feet with jabs and straight punches. He can avoid getting into a slugfest, and simply pick his shots to keep a running tally on the judge’s scorecards.
It is a five-round fight. He only needs to win three.
The former decorated champion would be best served by keeping a methodical pace while trying to point fight.
Avoid the Bottom
Nogueira’s jiu-jitsu was a near-mythological being at one time in this sport. That time has past.
He has been stopped twice inside the Octagon via submission. Nelson is a very good grappler in his own right, and it is not out of the realm that he could lock up an appendage in AbuDhabi.
The adage of “position before submission” holds true in this matchup more than most. Nogueira will not be able to easily sweep Nelson. He must avoid the bottom. It does not look good in the eyes of the judges, and Nelson has a solid top game.
Minotauro will not earn a second straight win if Nelson is successful with getting him on the canvas.
Mix It Up
Nelson is perhaps the better technical boxer, and he is also the better wrestler. For Nogueira to be successful in this fight he needs to mix up his attacks.
Nogueira is certainly a live dog in this fight, but he needs to keep Nelson guessing.
If he can do that, he can be successful in both the stand-up and in getting Nelson down on the mat. If he is able to do that, the former champion will look good in this fight. He will not be banking on a finish. He will need to push this fight into deep waters while winning rounds.
If Nogueira tries to strike or grapple singularly, he will fail. He has to feint, make Nelson bite and then he can find spots for his offense. Nelson must be put off-balance.
That is how Nogueira has to win this fight. At this point in his career his outs are becoming less and less, and this matchup is not the best for finding success. He has to fight smart.
Minotauro will need to fight the perfect fight to pick up the win.
(Matt Hughes doesn’t need to say it. But yes, it’s whatever.)
Reaction GIFs are the world’s most perfect means of communication. Why waste time typing out actual words about how you’re feeling when you can just link to other people’s facial expressions? The next time you find yourself in a heated comments section, fire off one of these MMA-related reaction GIFs. Use the next page links to move through the list, and enjoy…
When you’ve defeated a bitter rival:
When you just laughed at something you shouldn’t have laughed at:
(Matt Hughes doesn’t need to say it. But yes, it’s whatever.)
Reaction GIFs are the world’s most perfect means of communication. Why waste time typing out actual words about how you’re feeling when you can just link to other people’s facial expressions? The next time you find yourself in a heated comments section, fire off one of these MMA-related reaction GIFs. Use the next page links to move through the list, and enjoy…
When you’ve defeated a bitter rival:
When you just laughed at something you shouldn’t have laughed at:
When you need to let the haters know that they ain’t bringing you down:
Mixed martial arts is a sport based on individual talents, and few fighters are more tuned in to that notion than Roy Nelson.
The heavy-handed knockout artist has consistently marched to the beat of his own drum throughout his decade-long career in MMA…
Mixed martial arts is a sport based on individual talents, and few fighters are more tuned in to that notion than Roy Nelson.
The heavy-handed knockout artist has consistently marched to the beat of his own drum throughout his decade-long career in MMA. And while his insistence on doing so has created tension with the powers that be in the UFC on an occasion or two, that hasn’t stopped “Big Country” from sticking to his proverbial guns.
Although the Las Vegas native made his official UFC debut in 2009, his time in MMA existed well before he ever stepped inside the Octagon. Working through the transitions as the sport began to grow legs shaped Nelson’s perspective on how to view the road ahead, and he’s made moves in accordance with that vantage point.
While Nelson’s mentality and outlook can appear to go against the grain at times, a fair amount of that appearance is created by the overwhelming tendency of those in the fight world that go with the flow of how things are moving at the highest level of the sport. It’s not that the former TUF winner disagrees with the direction things are moving; he simply chooses to be present during the journey, and he has no issue speaking up for himself.
Those opinions have undoubtedly created waves throughout his journey, but Nelson sees those additional elements as part of the process.
“You are the captain of your own ship in this sport,” Nelson told Bleacher Report. “If you just want to close your eyes and let the ship go wherever the ship goes, that’s cool too—but not the way I do things.
“I prefer to be the guy at the wheel who sees the iceberg coming up ahead.
“You have to be at least a little bit involved in your business. You may have a manager and whatnot—you still need to be the one who leads your ship. He’s more of a tour guide who has been there before and can help navigate through things.
“At the same time, you are the leader and have the power to say, ‘I don’t want to go that way. I want to go the scenic route.’
“I enjoy the process. I enjoy the excitement. It’s just like a fight: You don’t know what is going to happen. You want to be able to guide the process toward an outcome that you want, but at the same time, it’s obstacles that can challenge you to grow. When you fall down, it’s about how you get back up and proceed forward. That’s what makes a champion in my mind. It’s the journey, not the destination, so to speak.
“I’m all about the smarter, faster and more sophisticated way, but at the same time, I want to make sure I end up on my feet versus going in with my eyes closed and not knowing how I got there,” he added.
“I want to have my eyes open and experience the ride, because if I ever need to lead someone else down the path, I’ll be able to do that. Also, things are definitely a lot more stressful at times when you go your own way, but I can look at myself in the mirror everyday. My kid can look at me and be proud that I’m his dad.”
As a fighter’s profile becomes elevated in MMA, the need to establish his brand becomes front and center. While fighting in a showcase promotion like the UFC provides great exposure, a fighter has to be able to capitalize on the opportunities that come his way.
The more visible and successful a fighter becomes from the work he does inside the cage, the more lucrative sponsorship deals and other opportunities become on the outside.
At least that should be the case, and Nelson has certainly worked to keep it that way.
Nevertheless, the business world is a similar battle field to the realm of fighting, and Nelson has actively pursued a real-time education on that front as well. His latest endeavor, a collectible figurine created by his own company, is his most recent attempt to stay ahead of the game on the business side of things. Merchandise is a lucrative avenue in MMA, but likeness rights haven’t fallen on the side of the fighters for the most part.
By using his own company to launch a collectible, Nelson is taking control of a situation many of his peers have allowed to fall by the wayside.
“I already had a figurine out there through the UFC, but it didn’t have my likeness and really didn’t look like me,” Nelson said. “I wanted to change it up and put something out there that had my signature pose. I wanted something even the casual fans would recognize and my hardcore fans would think was awesome. I put a team in motion to set about putting something together that would be unique and also be a way to give something to my fans at the same time.
“I’ve seen a lot of other companies out there that just take things like my signature and put it out there. I felt bad for the fans that were laying down their hard-earned money and not actually getting what they think they bought. I wanted to do something authentic for them. Every one of these comes with a hologram, certificate of authenticity and an actual signature. These are the real deal.”
As Nelson tends to business outside the cage, he’s also preparing for a throwdown inside the Octagon. The one-punch knockout king will square off with heavyweight legend Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira in the main event of Fight Night 39 in April.
The card will be only the second UFC event held in AbuDhabi, and with two grappling wizards inside the cage, Nelson is expecting the fight to be one fans won’t want to miss.
“It was awesome to get the fight with Nogueira,” Nelson said. “The way I look at it, ‘Big Nog‘ is a legend of our sport and a fighter you want to test yourself against. He’s been in there with the best and has definitely earned his legendary status.
“It’s amazing to fight someone like that because you get to see how you stack up against a legend and a former champion of multiple organizations. He’s won all the major titles and is the only fighter in the UFC who has won both the UFC and Pride heavyweight titles. He’s a guy you look up to and want to fight, but it’s like playing against one of your idols. He’s always been one of the most dangerous heavyweights in the sport, and he’s an old-school fighter where he shows up to fight.
“He’s a fighter through and through. If you took the time limit and the point system away, Nogueira is a guy who would definitely show up and still fight you ’til the end.
“You might just see Roy Nelson’s BJJ come back out for this fight,” he added. “Everybody who beats ‘Big Nog‘ gets a title shot, and I’m all about that. Everybody I know who has fought him is either one step away or the very next step becomes a title shot.
“And that wouldn’t be a bad outcome.”
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
You can stop reading this article right now. No one would blame you. But if you’d like to know a little more about the UFC’s deal with Flash Entertainment, join us after the jump.
(Nelson, seen here donning the most elaborate Big Nog Halloween costume of all time. Photo via Nelson’s twitter.)
You can stop reading this article right now. No one would blame you.
The April card will serve as the first in a two-year, five-event minimum deal the UFC has reached with Flash Entertainment that also includes broadcasting rights to that Ultimate Fighter show I hear is so popular these days. Flash Entertainment is of course, the organization that purchased a 10% stake of Zuffa LLC back in 2010 prior to UFC 112. So if you’re a wealthy oil tycoon who just so happens to be a fight fan looking to purchase a home away from the three homes you already have, this is probably huge news for you.
Executive Vice President and Managing Director of UFC, Gary Cook, spoke on the recently reached agreement and you stop reading when you saw “Fight Pass” didn’t you?
This agreement is a major step in our strategic expansion across EMEA and, in particular, will see our audience grow dramatically across the region. There is a huge market for the UFC in the Middle East. The fans want live events and can now look forward to local tailored content in the region.
Well, that was a series of words alright. Here’s another: infinitesimal, trapdoor, gator, concubine, didgeridoo, Grape Ape, merengue.
During last night’s edition of UFC Tonight, Ariel Helwani hinted that a bout between “Big Country” and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (a.k.a “Big Nog”) is being targeted for the UFC’s return to Abu Dhabi in May. Here’s how I know this:
It takes a keen investigative eye to be an MMA journalist, it does.
(Looks like that horse skipped leg day. Photo via Nelson’s twitter.)
During last night’s edition of UFC Tonight, Ariel Helwani hinted that a bout between “Big Country” and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (a.k.a “Big Nog”) is being targeted for the UFC’s return to Abu Dhabi in May. Here’s how I know this:
It takes a keen investigative eye to be an MMA journalist, it does.
This is normally the point in the article where I’d plea for Big Nog to just walk away from the sport, say he has nothing left to prove, curse the MMA gods for allowing this to happen, etc. But you know what, fuck that. If Nogueira wants to continue fighting until he has to eat through a straw, I say we let him. Sure, he’s 37 going on 60, but he’s an MMA legend dammit, and MMA legends are only truly immortalized if they continue to fight well past the twilight of their career. It’s why Ken Shamrock is as universally admired today as he was ten years ago, why Chuck Liddell *still* has that look in his eyes, and who are we to question where greatness ends and depressing, unnecessary punishment begins? NO-GUEI-RA! NO-GUEI-RA!!
A fight between veteran heavyweights Roy Nelson and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira is being targeted for the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s return to Abu Dhabi, which could take place later this year.
The news was first reported Wednesday evening by U…
A fight between veteran heavyweights Roy Nelson and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira is being targeted for the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s return to AbuDhabi, which could take place later this year.
It will be the UFC’s first trip back to AbuDhabu since 2010, when UFC 112 was held at a specially constructed stadium at the Ferrari World entertainment complex on Yas Island. The main event that night featured Anderson Silva defending his middleweight championship against Demian Maia in one of the most roundly criticized performances in UFC history.
The promotion has promised a return to the city ever since that night, but it’s ultimately never secured a deal to do so until now.
Nogueira has been absent from competition since a June 2013 loss to Fabricio Werdum. Since 2008, he hasn’t won or lost more than one fight in a row, and he hasn’t lost two consecutive fights in his entire career. Meanwhile, after consecutive losses to StipeMiocic and Daniel Cormier, Nelson is in danger of suffering the first three-fight losing streak of his career.
UFC Tonight also reported that the proposed UFC return to AbuDhabi could take place in May, though UFC sources told Bleacher Report Thursday morning that a date for that month is far from finalized.
AbuDhabi is the capital of the United Arab Emirates. In 2007, CNN Money named it the richest city in the world. Ferrari World, where any UFC visit to AbuDhabi would take place, is a monstrous indoor theme park dedicated to the world’s most famous maker of supercars. Ferrari World is also home to Formula Rossa, the world’s fastest roller coaster that reaches speeds of 149 mph.
Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira and Roy Nelson will compete against one another in the main event at UFC Fight Night 39 in Abu Dhabi.
