Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira on Brendan Schaub: 'I'll Submit Him'

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2011/5/22/2182199/antonio-rodrigo-nogueira-on-brendan-schaub-ill-submit-him

Former Pride and interim UFC heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira will be making his long-awaited comeback at UFC 134 in Brazil against Brendan Schaub. During his long layoff he had surgery on a knee and both hips, but is back to full training and excited to get the chance to fight in front of a Brazilian crowd. Tatame caught up with him to ask him about the fight, his health, and a few other things. First and foremost, what took so long to announce the fight?

We were waiting for the doctor to say I was good to go. I met him this week, I’ve asked the guys from UFC to wait a little longer (to tell that I’d be fighting in Rio), to check if I would have conditions to do actually do it. The doctor told me I’m ok, asked me to start training and he’ll be side by side with me until the bout, to check how I’m doing. I’m coming back after over a year without fighting, doing my trainings and regaining speed, but I’m feeling fine. I’m not 100% yet. The problem is my conditioning, because I’m completely healed from my injury.

Could just be the translation, but that doesn't sound too convincing to me. Another question soon after sort of heightens my suspicions on this topic:

Your greatest motivation is to be fighting in Rio de Janeiro?

Absolutely. I speed things up on my healing process because of this bout. I’ve focused on what I would need so that I could fight in Rio. I’ve never fought in Brazil. It’s a dream come true, fighting where I live, in my home. It’ll be nice, exciting. Representing Brazil will be cool.

Again it could be the translation, but how do you speed up the healing process? It almost sounds like he won't be 100% ready to go come August, but he's taking the fight because it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Hmm. Anyway, he then moved onto the topic of his opponent:

I’ll do my homework and watch his bouts. He’s a good boxer, uses the distance, but I’m prepared to strike. I won’t keep trying to take him down all the time. I’ll try to do my best, no matter where things are. I’m not worried about him. I want to be at my best, in a good shape, because I believe in myself. I want to be focused in being in my best shape ever. He’s a tall and thin guy, knows how to deal with the distance, he’s a good wrestler, he punches hard, but I’ll really go for it.

After some discussion of the matchups his teammates (Junior dos Santos and Anderson Silva) are facing, he gave a bold prediction for his own fight:

Among the confirmed bouts, which one do you believe that will be the best of the night?

It’ll be mine. I’ll submit him. It’ll be a good bout. He (Schaub) is a warrior. It’ll be a pretty busy fight for the heavyweight division.

Shaub to finish Nog.

I'll take nog by sub as well.

Nog is rushing back for this bout and won't be ready. Hybrid tko.

Nog is long in the tooth and has spent the last year convalescing. Schaub will finish another legend.

Nog wins this. I voted decision, but I could see TKO or SUB too.

I've got Schaub by KO/TKO. Basically what Ali said.

Same here, TKO early second rnd

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2011/7/14/2276434/big-nog-looks-to-have-put-some-pounds-on-during-his-time-out-with

Big Nog looks to have put some pounds on during his time out with
injuries. It's to be expected considering the lengthy lay off, but just
one more thing he has to worry about before his return at UFC 134.

Source: Sherdog.com

Maybe he did it on purpose? he needs the extra weight to deal with all these huge HW's.

freakzilla wrote:

Maybe he did it on purpose? he needs the extra weight to deal with all these huge HW's.

Not that kind of weight. A few extra pounds of fat will just slow you down. Unless he has some special fat that adds strength. Maybe he should raid Anderson's medicine cabinet, I saw some things in there that might help him out.

His game was never based on speed anyway.

nog has faded fast and schaub will be too much for him gas tank wise and strength wise. The sub is always possible by all means tho.

freakzilla wrote:

His game was never based on speed anyway.

Fat won't help him.

There will be no winner.

GDPofDRC wrote:

There will be no winner.

I really don't see this being a draw or even a close dec. I think we will have a clear cut winner here, however it plays out.

Lil Nog better have a pillow ready for Big Nog to land on.

Ali wrote:

Lil Nog better have a pillow ready for Big Nog to land on.

If he is out of the hospital in time after Ace whoops his ass.

OU wrote:

Ali wrote:

Lil Nog better have a pillow ready for Big Nog to land on.

If he is out of the hospital in time after Ace whoops his ass.

Interesting fight, but I lean towards Lil Nog.

OU wrote:

Ali wrote:

Lil Nog better have a pillow ready for Big Nog to land on.

If he is out of the hospital in time after Ace whoops his ass.

I love his track record against Brazilian southpaws too brah

bobbitt15 wrote:

OU wrote:

Ali wrote:

Lil Nog better have a pillow ready for Big Nog to land on.

If he is out of the hospital in time after Ace whoops his ass.

I love his track record against Brazilian southpaws too brah

LOL, that won't save lil Nog. The difference between him and those guys? lil Nog was never a UFC Champion.