Tony
29-12-2008, 12:00
http://mmamania.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/antoniorodrigonogueira.jpg
Props: UFC.com (http://www.ufc.com/index.cfm?fa=news.detail&gid=16815)
Quoteworthy:
“I apologize to all my fans for my fight on Saturday, and I’m very disappointed with what happened, but I promise that I’ll be back stronger and better in 2009. I’ve come back before, and I’m going to get the title back…. I’ve got a lot of respect for Frank Mir, he fought a great fight and was the better man that night. I was ready to fight, but he got to me before I was able to get to him.”
Former UFC interim heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo ‘Minatauro’ Nogueira issues his first formal statement after losing his title to Frank Mir at UFC 92: “The Ultimate 2008.” Nogueira was battered by Mir for the entire first round, which is common for the Brazilian — his durability is legendary. Uncommon, however, was the fact that he was finished via technical knockout in the second round. A feat that Fedor Emelianenko, Josh Barnett, Mirko Cro Cop and even “The Beast” Bob Sapp have been unable to accomplish.
Perhaps most surprising is that Mir — a Brazilian jiu-jitsu blackbelt — schooled Nogueira in the stand up — an aspect that Nogueria appeared to have the advantage heading into the fight. Not the case. This marked the third fight for Nogueira inside the Octagon. In his first two matches he was dropped by Heath Herring and Tim Sylvia, respectively. He went on to win those fights in his usual fashion, but could not endure the onslaught from Mir. Has it all finally caught up to Nogueira or is this latest loss just an anomaly?
Props: UFC.com (http://www.ufc.com/index.cfm?fa=news.detail&gid=16815)
Quoteworthy:
“I apologize to all my fans for my fight on Saturday, and I’m very disappointed with what happened, but I promise that I’ll be back stronger and better in 2009. I’ve come back before, and I’m going to get the title back…. I’ve got a lot of respect for Frank Mir, he fought a great fight and was the better man that night. I was ready to fight, but he got to me before I was able to get to him.”
Former UFC interim heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo ‘Minatauro’ Nogueira issues his first formal statement after losing his title to Frank Mir at UFC 92: “The Ultimate 2008.” Nogueira was battered by Mir for the entire first round, which is common for the Brazilian — his durability is legendary. Uncommon, however, was the fact that he was finished via technical knockout in the second round. A feat that Fedor Emelianenko, Josh Barnett, Mirko Cro Cop and even “The Beast” Bob Sapp have been unable to accomplish.
Perhaps most surprising is that Mir — a Brazilian jiu-jitsu blackbelt — schooled Nogueira in the stand up — an aspect that Nogueria appeared to have the advantage heading into the fight. Not the case. This marked the third fight for Nogueira inside the Octagon. In his first two matches he was dropped by Heath Herring and Tim Sylvia, respectively. He went on to win those fights in his usual fashion, but could not endure the onslaught from Mir. Has it all finally caught up to Nogueira or is this latest loss just an anomaly?