Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira is a very well-spoken, well-respected MMA veteran. Widely praised as one of the best Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu artists to ever step foot in both a ring and a cage, “Big Nog” is bother a former PRIDE FC champion and a former UFC champion. Of course, Nogueira is only kind until he’s pushed. And Chael Sonnen has been pushing the buttons of most Brazilian UFC fighters for a long time now. In a new interview, Nogueira gave a little bit back in his own way: by calling Sonnen a detriment to the sport. And when you think about it, he’s right. Here are all the details. ...

Not many people are willing to challenge the word of UFC President Dana White, both inside and outside the UFC. Dana White says all manner of controversial things very regularly, but few fighters are willing to speak out against the man that signs their checks. Interestingly enough, one man that’s decided to do so recently is former champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. It’s pretty unusual that “Big Nog” makes himself a point of controversy, so here are all the details. ...

Former UFC Heavyweight and Interim Heavyweight Champion Frank Mir finds himself at a career crossroads once again. Mir is on a two-fight win-streak with one stoppage, but that one stoppage came after three very tedious rounds of non-action against Mirko Filipovic. His recent three-round manhandling of Roy Nelson has also been subject to criticism. So, where does Frank Mir rank in the UFC’s increasingly-crowded upper-echelon? Here are five opponents that would really prove whether or not Mir will be fighting for a championship anytime soon. ...

As the pivotal date draws ever-closer, the UFC’s first event in Brazil in over a decade is quickly becoming one of the year’s can’t-miss fight cards. Featuring the likes of Anderson Silva, Mauricio Rua, and more, the UFC’s return to Brazil looks to feature some of the company’s best and most-dominant Brazilians. And UFC 134 just received a big boost: former PRIDE Heavyweight Champion and UFC Interim Heavyweight Champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira is now slated to compete on the card, fighting against fast-rising Heavyweight and former “Ultimate Fighter” cast member Brendan Schaub. Here are all the details. ...

Matt Mitrione has fared considerably well in his time inside the ufc’s famed Octagon, when you take into account how new he is to the sport and how relatively inexperienced he should be. This is a man that made his professional MMA debut in the sport’s largest organization, and he’s yet to stumble or even momentarily falter. After a very convincing performance against Tim Hague, Mitrione remains humble despite his successes, and recently gave an interesting take on his “Fight for the Troops 2” performance and what he hopes to accomplish in the near future. Here are all the details. ...

Former UFC interim heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira is still on the mend from surgery, however he still manages the time to offer an opinion. "Minotauro" is not only lauded as one of the leading men in the heavyweight division, despite having gone 1-2 in his last three outings inside the octagon, but he is also becoming a great trainer for up and coming talent. Case in point, his Black House team which has produced some of the best fighters in the world, including Vitor Belfort and Anderson Silva, two men that Antonio has spent time training in the past. Since then, Belfort has surrounded himself with the Xtreme Couture camp in Las Vegas, while Silva has remained with Antonio. Needless to say, the submission specialist is pulling for his boy Silva in his upcoming title fight. ...

One of the only men to hold both a PRIDE and UFC heavyweight strap, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira--who's more affectionately known by fans and friends simply as "Minotauro", says that there is a lot left for the 34-year-old to do in the sport. Having carved a name for himself as a legend in the world of mixed martial arts, Nogueira made his inception into the UFC in July of 2007 universally believed to be in the top-3 of all the heavyweight fighters in the world. However, in recent performances, Rodrigo has put his iron-like-chin to the test, going 2-2 in his last four outings, with both of those losses coming by way of knockout. ...

For many reasons, fans and insiders alike are already predicting that Junior dos Santos will beat Brock Lesnar when the two inevitably clash once the landmark thirteenth season of the popularity UFC reality TV show “The Ultimate Fighter” draws to a close. I personally think that Lesnar does pose some potentially major problems to JDS, but given Santos’ track record inside the Octagon, I’ve got no problem admitting that I’ve joined the majority in calling for a crushing JDS victory. Recently, legendary MMA fighter Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, one of the head trainers of Black House and thus one of the driving forces behind the success of JDS, gave us the first glimpse of the wrecking machine’s strategy as he prepares for his showdown with the former UFC Heavyweight Champion. ...

Former UFC and PRIDE heavyweight champion Antonio "Minotauro" Nogueira isn't done just yet. At 34-years-old, the Brazilian star has accomplished more than most could hope for in their career, having consistently battled against some of the best fighters in the world, including Fedor Emelianenko, Josh Barnett, Fabricio Werdum, Frank Mir, Randy Couture, and Cain Velasquez--all but Werdum were either PRIDE or UFC champions. However with fighting top flight competition, it could certainly take it's price on your body, and Nogueira has now become the victim of his own lifestyle and his been on the mend for the better part of 2010, however could be returning to the octagon sooner then you think. ...

It’s been a long time coming, but now it’s finally official. After weeks of rumors, the ufc has officially confirmed that they will be heading back to Brazil for the first time in over a decade. At a recent press conference in Brazil, the UFC detailed their plans for the country that has given birth to so many of the UFC’s top stars throughout the UFC’s long years of existence. Here are all the details for what’s shaping up to be one of the biggest UFC events of 2011. ...

Throughout the entirety of Mixed Martial Arts, it has become generally accepted that the best fighters in the world either come from the United States or Brazil. There are a lot of exceptions to the rule, sure, but America and Brazil dominates in terms of star talent and MMA champions. So when the ufc announced its intentions to return to Brazil after a long, long absence, it rightfully set the MMA rumor mill spinning. And a recent report is sure to keep the mill churning for quite some time. ...

Simply put, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira does not know the meaning of “easy”. The former UFC and PRIDE FC Heavyweight Champion has been in some of the biggest high-profile wars in the history of the sport, and his uncanny ability to remain conscious despite taking massive amounts of damage remains legendary. But the man with the once-infallible chin has now been (T)KO’d in two out of his last three bouts. “Big Nog” is still out rehabbing an injury, but according to high-profile manager Ed Soares, Nogueira will be back and ready to prove that he can still be a force in the UFC. Here are all the details. ...

If having your 'friend' ask you to "pray to whatever Demon effigy you prance and dance in front of with your piglet tribe of savages that I decide not to CRUCIFY you" is what Ed Soares' idea of what a friend should be, than George Bush and Osama bin Laden are sharing a condo on the coast, drinking margaritas and laughing about 'stupid American bureaucracy', and plan to adopt an underprivileged child from North Korea. The Ed-Chael feud had been well documented in the lead up heading into ufc 117 where Chael faced Soares' client Anderson Silva just last August. After many outlandish claims directed towards Soares himself and Anderson Silva primarily, it was later discovered that after failing to capture the UFC middleweight title from "The Spider" after a dominant four-rounds turned in (before the Brazilian submitted Sonnen with a late-rally fifth-round arm bar), Sonnen was found to have been possibly under the influence of performance enhancing drugs. Despite the fall out, and all of the negative tension shared in the media, Ed sympathizes with Sonnen and even goes as far as to say that his 'friend' is innocent of said allegations. ...

The San Jose based promotion, Strikeforce, has recently put out a press release, declaring the full fight card, including a finalized preliminary card, for the August 21st show, which will be in Houston, Texas. The card features a light heavyweight title fight against newly crowned champion "King Mo" Lawal against top contender Rafael "Feijao", out of Team Blackhouse, who trains alongside the likes of the Nogueria brothers, Anderson Silva, and Junior dos Santos. ...

At UFC's Ultimate Fight Night 21 in Charlotte Wednesday night The Ultimate Fighter 10 champion “Big Country” Roy Nelson(15-4) knocked out 6'11" heavyweight prospect “Skyscraper” Stefan Struve (23-4) in 39 seconds, an impressive win for a "fat guy" with a nearly one-foot height disadvantage. I noted to a friend recently that an MMA Junkie article listing the UFC's top heavyweight talent included, of course, UFC champion and Fighters.com's second-ranked heavyweight Brock Lesnar (4-1), his title challenger Shane Carwin (10-0), next in line Cain Velasquez(9-0), ”Cigano” Junior dos Santos (10-1), recently defeated former UFC champion Frank Mir(13-4), and former PRIDE and interim UFC champion “Minotauro” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira(32-6-1).  The article also threw Struve and Cheick Kongo(14-6-1) into the mix at the top of the UFC's heavyweight division...but no Nelson.  My point to my friend was that I wouldn't mind leaving Nelson out of a discussion of the UFC's top heavyweights, but if you're going to throw in Struve and Kongo, you have to include Nelson. ...

After UFC 110 in Sydney Saturday night, UFC President Dana White told the post-event press conference, "In my opinion, [Fighters.com's fourth-ranked heavyweight “Minotauro” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (32-6-1)] is probably the best heavyweight of all time, and [Cain Velasquez (9-0)] absolutely demolished him tonight. He’s for real and he’s in the line right now.” ...

UFC heavyweight prospect Cain Velasquez (9-0) shocked fourth-ranked “Minotauro” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (32-6-1) in a first-round knockout win at UFC 110 in Sydney Saturday night. Velasquez's stand-up victory catapults him into title contention versus UFC champion and second-ranked Brock Lesnar (4-1). ...

Saturday the UFC will debut in Sydney, Australia with UFC 110 featuring Fighters.com's fourth-ranked heavyweight “Minotauro” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (32-5-1) versus Cain Velasquez (7-0) for a shot at UFC champion Brock Lesnar (4-1). And, UFC President Dana White expects to return to Australia. ...

Brazilian heavyweight "Cigano" Junior dos Santos (10-1) climbed to the fifth spot in Fighters.com's December Heavyweight Rankings after knocking out “Hurricane” Gilbert Yvel (33-14-1) at UFC 108 in Las Vegas January second.  He's now just beneath his sensei, fourth-ranked "Minotauro" Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (32-5-1), and just out of the UFC's big three champions, one of whom has held a portion of the UFC title for the last two years. ...

Today in an interview with Fight Magazine Frank Shamrock (22-9-1) stated "I don’t want to fight  Jake Shields because he has no personality, he’s a boring fighter, and when he got on to CBS, and it was his chance to be a star, he leg humped ["Mayhem" Jason Miller] all night long, and killed our ratings. That’s why I don’t want to fight Jake Shields". ...

Both Fighters.com Heavyweight Champion “Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko (31-1) and ninth-ranked "Vai Cavalo" Fabricio Werdum (12-4-1) won at M-1 Global/Strikeforce in Chicago November 7 and now the top ten heavyweights seem on a collision course for a matchup versus each other.  But will it be for the Strikeforce title or not? ...

A previously announced matchup between Fighters.com’s fourth-ranked light heavyweight “Sugar” Rashad Evans (13-1-1) and tenth-ranked Thiago Silva (15-1) has been upgraded to marquee status at UFC 108 in Las Vegas January 2, the UFC announced Monday. ...

Fighters.com's fourth-ranked heavyweight “Minotauro” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (32-5-1) has withdrawn from his matchup versus Cain Velasquez (6-0) previously slated for UFC 108 in Las Vegas January 2 with a staph infection, according to Sherdog. ...

Fighters.com's fourth-ranked heavyweight "Minotauro" Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (32-5-1) will fight Cain Velasquez (6-0)  at UFC 108 in Las Vegas January 2, Fighters.com has confirmed with a source close to one of the fighters. ...

"Last Emperor" Fedor Emelianenko (30-1) entered his 15th month as Fighters.com Heavyweight Champion in October.  Emelianenko will defend his title versus fifth-ranked "Grim" Brett Rogers (10-0) at Strikeforce west of Chicago and broadcast in the U.S. on CBS November 7. ...

On the walls of MMA fandom there are two contrasting posters of Fighters.com Heavyweight Champion “Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko (30-1).

If you're not North American or you're one of the 50,000 or so North Americans who plunked down $34.95 for PRIDE 32, your poster depicts Emelianenko within a golden aureole striding a mound of pummeled flesh bags that includes fourth-ranked “Minotauro” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (32-5-1), tenth-ranked "Pitbull" Andrei Arlovski (14-7), and former UFC heavyweight champion “Maine-iac” Tim Sylvia (24-6).

If you're North American and cut your MMA teeth on The Ultimate Fighter circa 2007 or anxiously anticipating the first F5 stoppage in MMA history, your poster depicts Emelianenko cowering within the block-headed shadow of the man-mountain that is second-ranked UFC champ Brock Lesnar (4-1).
...

Middleweight "Crippler" Chris Leben (18-7) has been suspended 30 days by the Oregon State Athletic Commission following getting choked unconscious by Jake Rosholt (6-1) at UFC 102 in Portland Saturday.

Leben, an original The Ultimate Fighter contestant, is required to have a CT scan of possible facial fractures before his suspension is lifted.

Heavyweight Chris Tuchscherer (15-2) has been suspended 45 days with a facial laceration after his first-round TKO loss to "Napao" Gabriel Gonzaga (11-4).
...

Fighters.com’s fifth-ranked heavyweight “Minotauro” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (32-5-1) won a three-round unanimous decision over eighth-ranked “The Natural” Randy Couture (16-10) by two judges' scores of 30-27 and one score of 29-28 at UFC 102 in Portland Saturday night. "It feels great to fight against a legend," said Nogueira, an MMA legend himself. Nog' dropped Couture with a short left-right hook combo in the first round and again with a right cross in the third and followed the first-round knock down with a D'Arce choke that would've tranquilized a bull elephant. ...

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.
...

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.
...