Former Pride heavyweight champion, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Rodrigo Minotauro says he is ready for a new challenge. During UFC 69, Dana White surprised the Mixed Martial Arts community announcing the Brazilian had signed with the Ultimate Fighting Championship. According to Rodrigo Minotauro, the approach with the UFC was possibly due to his friendship with UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva. "Anderson Silva set me up with Dana White in January. Since then we have been talking, but nothing concrete… Then when I went to the United States to be in Roan Jucão's corner at UFC Fight Night, Dana proposed a deal", tells Rodrigo Nogueira, who will debut in the octagon at UFC 73, against Heath Herring, in California, on July 7.
Former Pride heavyweight champion, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Rodrigo Minotauro says he is ready for a new challenge. During UFC 69, Dana White surprised the Mixed Martial Arts community announcing the Brazilian had signed with the Ultimate Fighting Championship. According to Rodrigo Minotauro, the approach with the UFC was possibly due to his friendship with UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva. "Anderson Silva set me up with Dana White in January. Since then we have been talking, but nothing concrete… Then when I went to the United States to be in Roan Jucão’s corner at UFC Fight Night, Dana proposed a deal", tells Rodrigo Nogueira, who will debut in the octagon at UFC 73, against Heath Herring, in California, on July 7.
However, some business issues involving Rodrigo Nogueira and his team, the Brazilian top Team might become a problem. Even though he has been representing BTT for several years, Rodrigo didn’t have a chance to consult his trainers about the new UFC deal. "When I was invited by Dana White, I wasn’t able to reach any of the BTT leaders. So I still need to talk with my master Murilo Bustamante and clear things up", said Nogueira, who also keeps his mind straight: "I am 30 and I think I am old enough to handle my own decisions. I know what is best for me. Brazilian Top Team is an excellent place to train, but this deal I got on my own and with Silva’s support. But I also know that the new deal will be good for me and if they decided to stay with me, it will be great for them too," comments Nogueira about a possible break-up between him and Brazilian Top Team.
Asked about the difference about the rules of Pride and UFC, which has creating a lot of problems to former Pride fighter Mirko Cro Cop, Nogueira states. "I started my life as professional fighter fighting in the octagon. In my opinion, the biggest difference between the octagon and the ring is in the ring, judge restarts the fight once the fight goes off the ring, and in the octagon, it does not happen. So, that is a good deal for who wants to submit or punish the opponent with ground and pound", he said adding: "To be honest with you, I am not a big fan of stomps and kicks on the ground. In my opinion, those moves look like street-fighting", he mused.
Taking about Cro Cop, I have a few things to say about his fight with Gabriel Gonzaga. I’ve heard some rumors the win over Cro Cop was a lucky move. So, I tell you I know Gabriel Gonzaga and in my opinion he used the perfect strategy and rocked the whole fight. It was not only a single kick… to be honest with you… if he fights Randy Couture like he fought Cro Cop, he has great chance to defeat him and get the UFC title. Napão has proved his value on the mats winning the BJJ Mundials and now he proved he is also a great MMA fighter", Nogueira states, finishing the chat by pointing to the fighters he would like to fight in the octagon. "I’m going to train to get ready to fight anyone. But I’ve always wanted to fight Randy Couture. I admire him as a fighter and he is one of the fighters I’d like to meet in the octagon", he concluded.
