Fighter Profile: Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira

Overall Record: 32-6-1

UFC Record: 3-2

Hometown: Vitoria da Conquista, Brazil

Height: 6’3” Weight: 240

Age: June 2, 1976

Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira is a mixed martial artist that is currently competing for the UFC in the heavyweight division. Since his MMA debut in 1999, Nogueira has competed for WEF, Rings, PRIDE, UFO, and the UFC organizations. In early 2007, he left his longtime training center, the Brazilian Top Team, to train with the Black House.

In 1999, after receiving extensive training in Judo and Jiu-Jitsu, Nogueira was awarded black belts in both disciplines. At that time he felt confident enough to begin his MMA career and started fighting in Florida for the World Extreme Fighting promotion. He easily submitted both of his WEF opponents and knew that he was prepared to take a big step up in competition.

Later in the year, he took that big step by signing with the Japanese based Rings promotion and entered into the forty-eight man, 1999 King of Kings tournament. He looked impressive, winning his first three fights, before losing a close split decision to Dan Henderson in the semi finals. Even with the loss, Nogueira had established himself as a legitimate submission threat.

He returned to the Rings promotion as a participant in the 2000 King of Kings Tournament. This time “Minotauro” didn’t fall short, instead he defeated all five of his opponents to become the 2000 King of Kings tournament champion. He submitted four of the five opponents during the tournament, including Valentijn Overeem by arm triangle choke, for the championship.

In the summer of 2001, Nogueira debuted for another Japanese MMA organization, PRIDE FC. His first opponent was a PRIDE original, “Big Daddy” Gary Goodridge at PRIDE 15. He put PRIDE heavyweights on notice when he easily took Goodridge to the canvas, worked into a dominant position then submitted him with seemingly no effort at all.

Over the course of his five years with the PRIDE organization, Nogueira had many notable wins, including his November 2001 PRIDE 17 decision win over Heath Herring to become the PRIDE World Heavyweight Champion. He also withstood a beating from Bob Sapp at PRIDE Shockwave, only to submit the tired super heavyweight with a 2nd round armbar. In all, he would go on to win his first seven PRIDE fights, including winning a decision, in a rematch, against Dan Henderson at PRIDE 24.

His first title defense in PRIDE was against Fedor Emelianenko at PRIDE 25. Nogueira got caught in his ground and pound game, losing after three tough rounds by decision. He didn’t make losing a habit; in fact in November 2003 he fought for the PRIDE Interim Heavyweight Title when Fedor was inactive for a period of time due to injuries. He was able to take punishment from the dominant striker, convert on a takedown then transition into a fight ending armbar. For the second time in a little over two years, Nogueira was crowned the PRIDE champion.

After being named the interim champion, his tough luck would continue against the main Red Devil Sport Club fighter. His reign as champ came to a conclusion at the PRIDE Shockwave 2004 event, when he couldn’t avoid the strikes from the ground or get his submission game on track. In all, Nogueira would post a 0-2 record with 1 No Contest against his Russian rival.

Minotauro would lose only once over the last two years of his PRIDE career. He earned consecutive stoppages against Pawel Nastula, Kiyoshi Tamura, and Wagner da Conceicao Martins then fought Fabricio Werdum to a unanimous decision win at PRIDE Critical Countdown Absolute, before running into Josh Barnett. Barnett handed him only his fourth career loss via split decision at PRIDE Final Conflict Absolute. In his last PRIDE fight at Shockwave 2006, he would get redemption, earning a unanimous decision against Barnett.

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In the spring of 2007 it was announced by the UFC that Nogueira would be joining their heavyweight division. He was knocked down with a head kick in his UFC 73 debut but hung tough and earned a unanimous decision victory over Heath Herring, making it his third career win against the “Texas Crazy Horse.” He captured the UFC Interim Heavyweight title at UFC 81, shrugging off a knockdown by Tim Sylvia to submit him late in the 3rd round with a guillotine.

As the UFC Interim Heavyweight Champion, Nogueira coached a team on the ninth season of the popular Spike TV series, The Ultimate Fighter. At the end of the season, Nogueira and opposite coach, Frank Mir met at UFC 92 to determine who would fight Brock Lesnar and become the undisputed Heavyweight Champion. Mir utilized a well organized game plan and defeated Nogueira, via TKO, marking the first time that Minotauro has ever been knocked out in his career.

He will next step in the octagon at UFC 102 in Portland, Oregon against former champion, Randy Couture. Nogueira will have a slight advantage on the ground but Couture is the veteran stand up striker and master game planner. A win over a credible opponent like Couture will vault Nogueira back up the crowded Heavyweight ladder and closer to another title match. A loss would not be the end of his career, but it will mark the first time in his decade long career that he will have lost consecutive fights.

Recent Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira MMA News:

• Lost to Cain Velasquez at UFC 110 by TKO on February 20, 2010 - Cain Velasquez - “A Star on the Rise” - UFC 110 results

By Nick Russell
ProFighting-fans.com Staff Writer
Published July 2009

Photo courtesy of UFC