Freshly inked UFC light heavyweight “Minotoro” Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (15-3) is already back in the gym after a dubious ankle injury that allowed him gracefully out of his promise to Amaury Bitetti (5-2), promoter of the Bitetti Combat card in Rio de Janeiro 12 September. "Minotoro" is the twin brother of Fighters.com’s fifth-ranked heavyweight and former PRIDE and UFC heavyweight champion “Minotauro” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (32-5-1). Li'l Nog' was scheduled to fight “Brazilian Killa” Alex Stiebling (19-10-1), but bailed on the fight with an ankle injury and amid speculation he'd sign with the UFC. ...

UFC President Dana White confirmed Thursday in Portland before UFC 102 that UFC lightweight champ "Prodigy" B.J. Penn (14-5-1) will defend his title from "Nightmare” Diego Sanchez (21-2) at a yet-to-be title third UFC event in November. He also confirmed “Minotoro” Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (15-3), twin brother of Fighters.com's fifth-ranked heavyweight and former PRIDE and UFC heavyweight champion “Minotauro” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (31-5-1), has joined the UFC light heavyweight division. Furthermore, White confirmed UFC 105 in Manchester 14 November would be co-headlined by a middleweight matchup between Brit “Count” Michael Bisping (17-2) and Canadian Denis Kang (34-11-1). ...

Okay...now “Minotoro” Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (15-3) has officially jumped ship from the Bitetti Combat card in Rio de Janeiro 12 September and has been replaced by "Ninja" Murilo Rua (16-10-1), brother of Fighters.com's sixth-ranked light heavyweight and UFC title challenger "Shogun" Mauricio Rua (18-3).

Rua will fight Nogueira's intended opponent, “Brazilian Killa” Alex Stiebling (19-10-1), in what becomes a more evenly matched fight. Rua lost a two-round UD to Riki Fukuda (12-4) at DREAM 8 in Nagoya 5 April.

Stiebling lost by second round TKO to "Chteki" Moise Rimbon (12-8-2) at Bodog Fight 3 in Costa Rica in February 2007.
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Light heavyweight "Minotoro" Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (15-3) is committed to fighting "Brazilian Killa" Alex Stiebling (19-10-1) at Bitetti Combat in Rio 12 September as of 4:30 PM EST Tuesday, according to Fighters.com's sources close to the promotion.

Rogerio's big bro', Fighters.com's fifth-ranked heavyweight "Minotauro" Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (31-5-1), announced on a media conference call Tuesday afternoon that Rogerio was close to a deal with the UFC.

MMA Junkie subsequently reported that Rogerio was scratched from his fight at Bitetti Combat. MMA Weekly later confirmed Rogerio has been scratched with Ed Soares, Rogerio's American manager.
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Six more bouts were made official Monday for Affliction Day of Reckoning 24 January in Anaheim. “Babalu” Renato Sobral (29-8) will fight “The Law” Matt Lindland (21-5). “Minotoro” Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (14-3) will fight “Janitor” Vladimir Matyushenko (21-3). “Headhunter” Paul Buentello (26-9) will face “Baby Fedor” Kiril Sidelnikov (3-1). “Machine” Mark Hominick (14-7) will face LC Davis (9-1). “Thorobred” Jay Hieron (13-4) will fight Jason High (6-0). Albert Rios (6-2) will face “Tigre” Antonio Duarte (7-1). Brett Cooper will also fight, although no opponent was named. ...

Fighters.com’s Heavyweight Champion and WAMMA Champion “Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko (28-1) and third-ranked “Pitbull” Andrei Arlovski (14-5) will headline Affliction: Day of Reckoning, which will take place 24 January at the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA, the organization confirmed on their official website. Emelianenko versus Arlovski had been reported previously, as well as the date of the event, but Affliction Vice President Tom Atencio last week would confirm neither the main event, the date, nor the venue for their second show. Other fighters on the card are sixth-ranked heavyweight “Babyface Assassin” Josh Barnett (23-5), “Minotoro” Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (14-3), “Janitor” Vladimir Matyushenko (21-3), “Babalu” Renato Sobral (30-7), “Phenom” Vitor Belfort (17-8), “The Law” Matt Lindland (21-5), and the IFL’s Jay Hieron (16-4) and Chris Horodecki (12-1). The match-ups have not yet been announced. ...

“Minotoro” Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (14-3) will face off against Moise Rimbon (13-7-3) in a light heavyweight match at Sengoku 6 in Saitama, north of Tokyo, 1 November, World Victory Road announced Monday. Nogueira, a PRIDE veteran, last fought at Affliction: Banned in July, handing “Babyface” Edwin Dewees (35-13) a first-round TKO loss. Nogueira was previously scheduled to fight “Janitor” Vladimir Matyushenko (21-3) at Affliction’s second show in October before it was postponed. Rimbon, of France, submitted Peter Graham (0-2) with a rear naked choke in round two at Sengoku 4 in August. ...

“Minotoro” Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (14-3) versus “Janitor” Vladimir Matyushenko (21-3) is another bout officially announced by Affliction Wednesday.  The light heavyweights will fight 11 October in Las Vegas. IFL champion Matyushenko met Nogueira in the ring before, earning a unanimous decision win over “Minotoro” in August 2002 and handing him his first professional loss. Matyushenko is coming off eight consecutive wins; he has not lost since Fighters.com’s fourth-ranked heavyweight “Pitbull” Andrei Arlovski (13-5) knocked him out in September 2003. Nogueira previously confirmed his participation at Day of Reckoning. ...

“The Phenom” Vitor Belfort (17-8) and “Minotoro” Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (14-3) both told Tatame recently that they would fight on Affliction’s 11 October card. Belfort will face middleweight “The Law” Matt Lindland (21-5), but no opponent was named for light heavyweight Nogueira. “I’ll fight in October 11th, but it’s not certain yet against who. They’re speculating a lot of opponents, but they didn’t say anything yet”, Nogueira said. All three fighters won their matches at the last Affliction show 19 July. Belfort KO’d Terry Martin (17-5) in the second round, Lindland earned a unanimous decision over “Negao” Fabio Nascimento (8-4), and Nogueira pounded out a first-round TKO of “Babyface” Edwin Dewees (35-13). ...

It only took 36 seconds for "Last Emperor" Fedor Emelianenko (28-1) to leave "Maine-iac" Tim Sylvia (24-5) laid out on the mat in Anaheim, east of Los Angeles, Saturday night. Just thirty-six seconds to answer questions raised by Fighters.com about Emelianenko's two-year hiatus from top competition. At the bell, Sylvia exited his corner in an awkward, low crouch. Obviously...Emelianenko wasted no time blasting Sylvia with a left, right hook combo, followed by an uppercut. "I've never been hit that hard in my life," said Sylvia after the fight.  "He's not human." The "Maine-iac" dismantled to the mat; and, Emelianenko stuck in a rear naked choke that forced Sylvia to tap. After the fight, the Russian was nonchalant, but not arrogant about his destruction of one of the world's top heavyweights. The victory cemented him as the top heavyweight in the world, the top pound-for-pound mixed martial artist in the world, and perhaps the greatest mixed martial artist ever. ...

"Last Emperor" Fedor Emelianenko (28-1) def. "Maine-iac" Tim Sylvia (26-6) via submission (rear naked choke), 0:36 of round one. "Pitbull" Andrei Arlovski (13-5) def. "Big" Ben Rothwell (33-6) via KO, 1:13 of round three. "Babyface Assassin" Josh Barnett (26-5) def. Pedro Rizzo (16-8) via KO, 1:44 of round two. "The Machine" Mark Hominick (16-8) def. Savant Young (9-8) via submission (armbar), 4:25 of round two. "Babalu" Renato Sobral (30-7) def. Mike Whitehead (23-7) via unanimous decision (30-27; 30-27; 30-27) "The Law" Matt Lindland (21-5) def. Fabio Negao (8-4) via unanimous decision (30-26; 30-27; 30-27). "Minotoro" Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (14-3) def. "Babyface" Edwin Dewees (35-13) via TKO, 4:06 of round one. "Quicksand" Mike Pyle (17-5-1) def. JJ Ambrose (8-2) via submission (rear naked choke), 2:51 of round one. "The Phenom" Vitor Belfort (17-8) def. Terry Martin (17-5) via KO, 3:12 of round two. "Head Hunter" Paul Buentello (26-10) def. "Big Daddy" Gary Goodridge (23-18-1) via unanimous decision (30-27; 30-27; 30-27). ...

“Babyface” Edwin Dewees (35-12; 1 NC) has signed on to fight “Minotoro” Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (13-3) at Affliction’s 19 July event in Anaheim, he confirmed to Full Contact Fighter this weekend. Dewees replaces “Tiger” Vernon White (26-32-2), who was pulled from the card after he tested positive for a banned diuretic. Dewees is excited to face Nogueira and said, “This is going to be my first fight at 205, now that I’m bigger, and I wanted to fight somebody good right away. My confidence is higher than it’s ever been and I’m really excited to get an opponent like this to show what I got at 205.” His last match was a submission win over Richard Blake (4-7) in April, ending a four-fight losing streak. Nogueira last fought in February, when he TKO’d Todd Gouwenberg (7-4) in the second round. ...

Light heavyweight "Minotoro" Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (13-3), twin brother of Fighters.com's top-ranked heavyweight "Minotauro" Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (31-4-1), will fight "Tiger" Vernon White (26-32-2) on Affliction's Banned card 19 July in Anaheim, outside of Los Angeles, reported MMA Junkie Friday. Nogueira was widely-ranked among the top ten light heavyweights in the world until seventh-ranked light heavyweight "African Assassin" Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (4-2) literally knocked him out of the rankings in Soko's PRIDE debut in February 2007. "Minotoro" bounced back in a tough second-round TKO over Canadian Todd Gouwenberg (7-4) in the since-defunct Hardcore Championship Fighting last February. "Tiger" is an MMA original, fighting on the first Pancrase card in 1993.  Since 2003 he's 6-10-1 with fights in the UFC, WEC, IFL, and other promotions. Recently, he picked up a "W" in April when Jeremiah Constant (6-4) was DQ'd, White's first fight since losing to Marcelo Tigre (12-3) due to an injury White suffered in the first round. "Babalu" Renato Sobral (29-7) and "The Law" Matt Lindland (20-5), both also appearing on Affliction's debut card in separate fights, make more compelling matchmaking for Nogueira. Nogueira, Sobral, and Lindland are all matched versus fighters they seemingly hold significant advantages over. ...

Keith Crawford, former CEO of Canadian promotion Hardcore Championship Fighting, confirmed to Fighters.com Friday morning that the promotion has ceased operations. HCF's demise was foreshadowed by Fighters.com last month when Crawford released a statement postponing a scheduled 10 May card in Calgary. “Due to the fact that the due diligence process has been extended on our impending re-structuring we are officially postponing our May 10 fight card," Crawford said then. In response to a Fighters.com request for details Friday morning, Crawford replied, "I cannot comment on these things." The promotion's last event was held 29 March in Gatineau and featured Quebecois middleweight "The Crow" David Loiseau (16-8) in the main event. HCF debuted in July 2007 and held four events in Canada featuring fighters such as Fighters.com's tenth-ranked heavyweight Aleksander Emelianenko (13-3), Gegard Mousasi (21-2-1), "Minotoro" Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (13-3), and "Diesel" Joe Riggs (27-10). Last November, HCF signed former UFC light heavyweight title contender "Babalu" Renato Sobral (29-7) to a contract, though the grappler never fought in an event. HCF joins a list of MMA start-ups that couldn't turn recognizable names into sustaining revenue. ...

Light Heavyweight Li'l Nog, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, scored a TKO over Canadian Todd Gouwenberg at 4:34 of the second session at the Hardcore Fighting Championships in Calgary, Canada Friday. The dominant victory marks Nogueira's first fight since being knocked senseless in 23-seconds by Sokoudjou at PRIDE 33 in February 2007. Nogueira raises his record to 13-3, 2-2 in his last four, while over-matched challenger Gowenberg falls to 7-3 after a four-fight win streak. On a fight card filled with familiar faces, Armenian Gegard Mousasi extends his winning streak to six with a controversial TKO of tough journeyman Evangelista Santos at 3:42 of the first. Mousasi pinned the Brazilian's arm from side control and pummeled, but "Cyborg" Santos seemed to be defending himself intelligently when the referee waved the affair closed. Santos disputed the stoppage. Mousasi improves to 19-2-1 while Santos falls to 15-11. Former UFC middleweight challenger David Louiseau dropped the fourth fight of his last five in a split decision loss to fellow Canadian Jason Day. Day adds a 15th win to a record including five losses, while "The Crow" Loiseau flutters to 15-8. Fresh from fleeing his ProElite contract, Mike Pyle bounced back with a Kimura submission over Croatian Damir Mirenic at 1:24 of the second round. Pyle posts his 15th "W" against five losses and a single draw, while Mirenic looses his second consecutive to fall to 8-4. In an HCF lightweight title fight, American Thomas Schulte choked out Canadian Garett Davis in a rear naked after just 1:15. Also on the card, welterweight Derrick Noble knocked out King of the Cage vet Brendan Seguin. Undefeated middleweight Andrew Buckland made it five in a row with a Kimura submission of Dan Chambers. Costa Rican lightweight Ariel Sexton submitted "The Cowboy" Myles Merola in a rear naked choke at 1:08 of round 2. Heavyweight Miodrag Petkovic split the judges decision with formerly undefeated Tim Hague. Middleweight Nabil Khatib bounced back from a loss to take a unanimous decision over win-less Lucas Rota. And the night began with an armbar submission of lightweight Fabian Cortez by Costa Rican Juan Barrantes. ...