Jarno
22-09-2004, 16:03
ik heb dit stukje van Boxinginsider.com dus ......
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira has been the topic of much speculation lately on “As Internet MMA Turns,� otherwise known as “The Web of Deceit.� First, we hear that Nog is leaving Pride for a lucrative offer from K-1 to join the ranks of their highly successful [insert sarcasm here] MMA division. Then he’s training with American Top Team. Now, Nog is leaving his Japanese agent Motoko Uchida and signing directly with DSE [better known as Pride].
Okay, Nogueira training with the American Top Team is no big surprise. No, he’s not leaving Brazilian Top Team; he’s just following through with his latest ambitions to cross-train all over the place in hopes to be as prepared as possible when he climbs into the ring.
Leaving Uchida doesn’t really send shock waves across the MMA world either. Business is business and most fans couldn’t care less. Pride has been making a move recently towards dealing more directly with fighters instead of agents and managers, but that’s between them. Fans just want entertaining, exciting fights; they don’t really care who signs on the dotted line.
The issue that matters to fans, and the only issue here that matters to fans, is whether or not Nog is leaving Pride for K-1’s fledgling MMA promotion. Not that I have much say in the matter, but I wouldn’t bet on it happening.
First off, Nog has made his name as one of the most highly regarded fighters in the world under the Pride banner. Although loyalty only runs about as deep as the stack of yen that a promoter offers up, I’d be surprised if K-1 would come up with much more of an offer than Pride is willing to for Nogueira.
After all, he is Pride’s former Heavyweight titleholder and their current Interim Heavyweight Champ. But more than that, Nogueira factors in as a major part of the drama concerning Pride’s Heavyweight and Grand Prix titles.
This has obviously got to mean a lot to Pride officials as the competition for good heavyweights and for the MMA dollar has gotten fierce. Nogueira, despite losing his heavyweight belt to Fedor Emelianenko, is one of the most exciting fighters in the division both on the ground and standing. Since that loss, he has defeated Ricco Rodriguez, Mirko Filipovic, Hirotaka Yokoi, Heath Herring, and Sergei Kharitonov, along with a recent “no contest� in a rematch with Fedor.
It is the loss and no contest with Fedor that make up the key point here. Pride is banking on a third and, hopefully, decisive bout between Fedor and Nog for their big New Year’s Eve show.
Pride officials aren’t the only ones banking on that fight though, and this is the reason why I can’t see Nog bolting for K-1. I feel that Nog is also banking on that fight. I think that with the first decision loss and then the freak head-butt cut no contest, Nogueira is extremely frustrated. Before the loss to Fedor, he was riding high as the best heavyweight MMA fighter in the world. No one was really asking who was going to beat Nog; everyone was asking IF anyone was going to beat Nog, then that Russian bulldog came along and upset his apple cart.
This is a business and the yen count, but never count out the machismo of the male ego. That Pride heavyweight belt was Nog’s, Fedor took it, and like the bike peddling high schooler who lost his girl to the guy with a car, Nog wants it back. That can be a powerful motivation and one that doesn’t rely solely upon monetary rewards.
Bottom line… Nog wants his belt and Pride wants Nog. That in and of itself will make the deal happen. Outside of money, what does K-1 have to offer a fighter like Nog?
Ummm… Uhhh… Welll…
Exactly… nothing.
Look for Pride to host Nogueira vs. Fedor III on New Year’s Eve!
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira has been the topic of much speculation lately on “As Internet MMA Turns,� otherwise known as “The Web of Deceit.� First, we hear that Nog is leaving Pride for a lucrative offer from K-1 to join the ranks of their highly successful [insert sarcasm here] MMA division. Then he’s training with American Top Team. Now, Nog is leaving his Japanese agent Motoko Uchida and signing directly with DSE [better known as Pride].
Okay, Nogueira training with the American Top Team is no big surprise. No, he’s not leaving Brazilian Top Team; he’s just following through with his latest ambitions to cross-train all over the place in hopes to be as prepared as possible when he climbs into the ring.
Leaving Uchida doesn’t really send shock waves across the MMA world either. Business is business and most fans couldn’t care less. Pride has been making a move recently towards dealing more directly with fighters instead of agents and managers, but that’s between them. Fans just want entertaining, exciting fights; they don’t really care who signs on the dotted line.
The issue that matters to fans, and the only issue here that matters to fans, is whether or not Nog is leaving Pride for K-1’s fledgling MMA promotion. Not that I have much say in the matter, but I wouldn’t bet on it happening.
First off, Nog has made his name as one of the most highly regarded fighters in the world under the Pride banner. Although loyalty only runs about as deep as the stack of yen that a promoter offers up, I’d be surprised if K-1 would come up with much more of an offer than Pride is willing to for Nogueira.
After all, he is Pride’s former Heavyweight titleholder and their current Interim Heavyweight Champ. But more than that, Nogueira factors in as a major part of the drama concerning Pride’s Heavyweight and Grand Prix titles.
This has obviously got to mean a lot to Pride officials as the competition for good heavyweights and for the MMA dollar has gotten fierce. Nogueira, despite losing his heavyweight belt to Fedor Emelianenko, is one of the most exciting fighters in the division both on the ground and standing. Since that loss, he has defeated Ricco Rodriguez, Mirko Filipovic, Hirotaka Yokoi, Heath Herring, and Sergei Kharitonov, along with a recent “no contest� in a rematch with Fedor.
It is the loss and no contest with Fedor that make up the key point here. Pride is banking on a third and, hopefully, decisive bout between Fedor and Nog for their big New Year’s Eve show.
Pride officials aren’t the only ones banking on that fight though, and this is the reason why I can’t see Nog bolting for K-1. I feel that Nog is also banking on that fight. I think that with the first decision loss and then the freak head-butt cut no contest, Nogueira is extremely frustrated. Before the loss to Fedor, he was riding high as the best heavyweight MMA fighter in the world. No one was really asking who was going to beat Nog; everyone was asking IF anyone was going to beat Nog, then that Russian bulldog came along and upset his apple cart.
This is a business and the yen count, but never count out the machismo of the male ego. That Pride heavyweight belt was Nog’s, Fedor took it, and like the bike peddling high schooler who lost his girl to the guy with a car, Nog wants it back. That can be a powerful motivation and one that doesn’t rely solely upon monetary rewards.
Bottom line… Nog wants his belt and Pride wants Nog. That in and of itself will make the deal happen. Outside of money, what does K-1 have to offer a fighter like Nog?
Ummm… Uhhh… Welll…
Exactly… nothing.
Look for Pride to host Nogueira vs. Fedor III on New Year’s Eve!