Noguiera: "I deserve a chance to fight Randy Couture."

Newly crowned interim UFC Heavyweight Champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira told the post-UFC 81 press conference that he wants to fight former UFC Heavyweight Champion Randy Couture.

“Today I got the belt, with a very hard fight, but if Couture can give me the chance to fight against him, I will be ready,” a bruised Minotauro promised.

Nogueira, 31-4-1, submitted another former UFC Heavyweight Champion, Tim Sylvia, by guillotine choke at 1:28 of the third round Saturday night, but after enduring torturous punishment from his bigger opponent.

“We’d like to see Nogueira defend his title against Randy Couture,” agreed UFC President Dana White.  “We want to find out who the real champion is.  So, I expect ‘Captain America’ to step up to the plate and give Nogueira the chance.”

Couture, 16-8, “resigned” from the UFC, vacating his title, in October 2007 and has since pursued a fight with with former PRIDE Heavyweight Champion Fedor Emelianenko amidst a legal battle with the UFC.

White explained, “I gave him the opportunity to fight for the heavyweight title, to fight Tim Sylvia.  So I expect him to honor his contract.  I don’t think I’m asking anything outrageous or ridiculous.  He signed a contract a year ago and got a signing bonus.”

Couture has remained adamantly against returning to the UFC.  Last week he told Columbus, Ohio radio station QFM 96.3 that he is on his way to China in the next few weeks to begin work on the big screen version of “Mandrake the Magician”.