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20/11/09 - Antonio Rogerio Nogueira - “Here comes the brother”
translated by Eduardo Cruz, Fighters Only Brazil contributor
The names are pretty much the same and so their faces, like it is expected for twin brothers. But regarding their careers, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira is, as Antonio Rogerio Nogueira likes to say, a master, winner of PRIDE and UFC heavyweight championships and certainly on the way to the history books as one of the best men to put on his gloves into MMA.
But this isn’t one of those stories in which one brother is much better than the other. In Nogueira’s brother case, Rogerio – or “Minotouro” – is a first class fighter who this weekend is going to take his first chance of showing to the UFC fans what he can do at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.
“For over three years UFC has been my goal and now I can say I’m very happy to be here in the best event,” said Rogerio to the Portuguese-language version of UFC.com. “UFC is home on the biggest talents in the world and I feel that I will be tested like I’ve never been formerly tested in my career.”
The fighter, professional for eight years, has competed with some of the best of the world, including ten fights for Pride where he lost just twice. Rogerio is not “the other” brother - he is a threat to all light-heavyweight competitors and has the intention to make it very clear when he faces his countryman Luiz “Banha” Cane on Saturday night.
“He is a tough guy with a heavy, big left hand,” he said about Cane. “It’s going to be a great fight.”
Being already established as one of the best of the category, Nogueira (17-3) holds victories over Dan Henderson, Tsuyoshi Kosaka, Guy Mezger, Kazuhiro Nakamura (twice), Alistair Overeem (twice) and Edwin Dewees.
His unique defeats were to Vladimir Matyushenko (revenged in January), Thierry Ramaeu Sokoukjou and to a man that has been recently making a lot of noise in UFC, Mauricio “Shogun” Rua. And it’s not an overkill to say the Rua-Nogueira match in 2005 (when Shogun won by decision) was one of the best fights in Pride’s golden history. Nogueira wouldn’t be annoyed to repeat that moment.
“That was a huge fight and I think all the fans would like the combat to happen again, as I would,” said Lil’ Nog who expects to avoid the problems that other Pride veterans have had in entering the UFC Octagon for the first time. Luckly, he has the older brother to advise him.
And their relationship follows beyond the academies and competitions. They’re inseparable and, despite being twins, Rogerio sees Rodrigo like an elder brother.
“Rodrigo taught me many things. We have trained together and he gives me lots of hints over fighting in the cage. I’m lucky to have my brother beside me. Rodrigo started first in this environment and he always was my major motivation to start fighting because I wanted to follow his footsteps. I feel myself very lucky for having my brother with me at a full time and he is a great inspiration. I see him as my master.”
Antonio Rogerio Nogueira now expects to conquest a new group of fans but always keeping his numerous base of followers.
“I think all the new fans who will watch me for the first time will see a big fight. They can expect a well trained fighter, prepared, focused and determined to win. I know I carry a weight on my back because of my brother and all the expectations but I am grateful to the fans that, along the years, are always well-disposed to watch my fights and can’t wait to see me in action again.”
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