The New UFC Heavyweight Champ Article

[gogoplata]

02/03/2008
‘Minotauro’ Battles Back from the Brink to Win Interim Heavyweight Title
By Thomas Gerbasi

After surviving a horrific childhood accident that saw
him get run over by a truck, it’s hard to count Antonio Rodrigo ‘Minotauro’ Nogueira out of anything, let alone a mixed martial arts fight. So after he took a pounding from Tim Sylvia for ten minutes of their bout tonight at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, it wasn’t a sign to make your way for the exit; he was just getting warmed up, and in the third round, Nogueira, the comeback kid of MMA, finally found the opening he needed and he submitted Sylvia to win the interim UFC Heavyweight Championship.

“He’s a true heavyweight, a giant,” said Nogueira, who becomes the first man in history to hold the UFC and PRIDE heavyweight championship belts. “I got many hard punches in this fight and I was waiting for a good opportunity to put him on the ground.”

Sylvia (26-4) was sharp in the early stages of the first round, stalking his opponent and landing with a couple of strong right hands before Nogueira (31-4-1) pulled guard. The action stalled on the ground and Sylvia made his way back to his feet and got back to the business of trying to find a home for his right. With under three minutes left, he set it up perfectly with a left hook before the right hand came over the top and dropped the Brazilian. Nogueira survived the ensuing onslaught, but once the fight rose again his legs had lost some spring and he was showing the scars of battle on his face. As the final minute rolled around though, Nogueira started to land with his own strikes and even scored a takedown just before the bell.

Nogueira looked to pick up where he left off at the end of the first by securing a takedown in the second, but Sylvia fought the attempt off and picked at his foe with strikes from long range that scored with frightening regularity. Nogueira continued to battle, as is his custom, but Sylvia’s takedown defense was stellar, and left ‘Minotauro’ with few options other than standing and trading with the much larger man.

Up two rounds, Sylvia kept to the game plan in round three, drilling Nogueira with right hand leads and counters. Nogueira finally got his takedown though, and after sweeping Sylvia, he sunk in a guillotine choke and forced the tap out at the 1:28 mark.

“It’s Minotauro Nogueira,” said Sylvia, a two-time UFC heavyweight champion. “Every fight he’s in he gets his ass kicked for the first ten minutes, you get comfortable fighting him, and the next thing you know, he catches you. The guy’s a legend in this sport.”

Unquestionably

[CESSPOOL]

I like how he called Randy out after the fight. I hope Randy accepts the challenge.

[LookitsLance]

I have never been made so happy by an mma fight then this one. I don't know if its because Nog is one of my favorites(though when Chuck wins im not this happy), if its the fact that he seems the big underdog(even through most of the fight) or if its because of the atmosphere of watching it on a ton of tv's at a sports bar, but this fight is one of my favorite mma moments.

[Ramma]

Respect from both ends. Good to see that.

Congrates to Nog, becoming the first ever UFC and PRIDE champion. The guy has cemented himself in history forever.

I also can't wait to hear what Randy has to say.

[Lord Faust]

That was an amazing fight. Nog and Tim both showed up in fine form.

I really want to see Nog and Randy, although I give the edge to Nog. Randy does better against large ogres than I think he'll do against a submission master like Nog. I see Randy getting tapped if he ever steps in with Minotauro.

[ninjastix]

Originally Posted by LookitsLance

I have never been made so happy by an mma fight then this one. I don't know if its because Nog is one of my favorites(though when Chuck wins im not this happy), if its the fact that he seems the big underdog(even through most of the fight) or if its because of the atmosphere of watching it on a ton of tv's at a sports bar, but this fight is one of my favorite mma moments.

This had to be one of the most satisfying championship fights I've seen in a long time... I really though Slyvia was going to out point Nog for the decision, but the take down at the end of round one gave me hope that Nog could pull it off again...

I can't say that what Nog does is healthy or that it will provide him the longevity I hope he has in this sport...

But holy shit balls was that an exciting fight...

Maybe after this Randy will see the "sense" in fighting him...

[Raiders18]

Come on Randy, get back in the UFC to fight Big Nog. If Randy wants to fight the best in the world and he can't get Fedor right now, he should fight Big Nog who many including me would say he is the second best HW in the world.

[scottsec]

As much as i hate to say it i dont think Couture wants to take a chance of losing before getting a shot at Fedor....thats why hes being such a stupid fuck...i know iknow its Capt America but right now hes acting like Capt jerqueoff..

[rivethead]

I was so pleased with the fight [although an abundance of bushmills might have contributed to that, as well...]. It was great to see Tim come out in good form, and have the fight go back and forth. The guys I was watching with didn't know anything about Nog, I was the only one who'd bet on him, and while they can now be considered bandwagon fans, there are far worse bandwagons to jump on.

I think the fact that he beat the best Tim Sylvia that I've seen in a long time is a great indication of how well Nog will do in the UFC.

Aside from all the WWE crap, it was a great PPV.

rh