UFC Close to Signing Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, Debut Possible by Year’s End
The UFC is close to signing light heavyweight Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, according to his twin brother and former UFC interim heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, who announced the signing during today’s UFC 102 media call for his main event bout against Randy Couture.
“[The UFC] talked to him, they’re dealing with my brother,” said Rodrigo Nogueira on Tuesday’s UFC 102 media call. “For sure he’s coming to the UFC…They’ve almost closed the deal.”
An official announcement of the signing is expected soon, and with Rogerio Nogueira previously preparing for a September 12 fight in Brazil, his debut in the 205-pound division is possible by year’s end.
Nogueira (17-3), who is also known by his nicknames “Minotoro” and “Little Nog”, is currently riding a five-fight win streak that includes victories over Edwin Dewees and Vladimir Matyushenko at Affliction’s two MMA events, as well as his most-recent win in May over Dion Staring.
With victories over notables Dan Henderson and Alistair Overeeem, and just three losses to Matyushenko, Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou, and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, Nogueira could make an immediate impact in the UFC’s premiere light heavyweight division.
“[The UFC] talked to him, they’re dealing with my brother,” said Rodrigo Nogueira on Tuesday’s UFC 102 media call. “For sure he’s coming to the UFC…They’ve almost closed the deal.”
Tags: Antonio Rogerio Nogueira
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This is a fantastic addition in an already stacked division. Great news. I would like to see Forrest mix it up with Lil’ Nog.
LiL NOG in the UFC is MOTHER F~ING great, he needs a warm up match then a bout against Rua asap (ofcourse if Machida wins in october) this is simply fantastic…
So stoked for this…and Tito!
What a great class
thank you UFC…thank you… he probably won’t fight for the title but uh does anyone want to go to the ground with him? Not to mention of the twins I think he has the best boxing.
So um does anyone else smell a rubber match?
Little Nog in the UFC…..fu*k it why not? Give him Jon Jones as a warm up.
I wouldn’t call Jones a warm up for anyone, but I do like that match-up, ALOT!
Agreed that Jones wouldn’t be a walk through but best damm match up suggestion I’ve heard in awhile MK4, would love to see them battle.
SURPRISED IT DIDN’T HAPPEN SOONER… I NEVER EVEN THOUGHT ABOUT “WHY HE ISN’T IN THE UFC”
wow thats all I can say. He should mix it up with the Dean of Mean first I think. Than after a win there maybe Wandy/Rua. Great Pick up.
He would probably get the “Official” UFC stepping stone… Mr. Keith Jardine, to bad his busy. I dont think it will be Forrest, Dana wouldnt want to see Forrest take a possible 3rd loss in a row. He is worth to much money, even after getting pawned. I would give him Ryan Bader for a warm up. And to see where Bader is at after his TUF championship.
Keep in mind he won’t fight for the title if he’s fighting at 205… the horned M on the champs shorts kinda ends that.
How about Tito?
Tito is fighting Coleman at 106, possible match-up if Tito wins and Lil Nog wins his debut.
This is effing awesome news. He is a great addition to arguably the best division in all of MMA (UFC lhw). He is in my top ten lhw’s, so this is exciting news. I think he should get the winner or loser of the Silva/Jardine fight. Then if he wins that, put him in there with Forrest.
Hamill or Vera/Soszynski or Franklin or Stann or T.Silva/Jardine or Cane or Bonnar or Alexander
Is there anyone in the light heavies you didn’t mention?
The UFC still needs to get Ricardo Arona tho… he is a free agent after all. Another plus would be Mousasi but ty M-1 about lying about the UFC offer to Mousasi.Thats the main talent I think the UFC still needs.
Arona needs to string a few wins together and then you will see him in the UFC. Would be rather difficult to explain that signing after his most recent performances.
Mousasi stated himself that Joe Silva didn’t ever offer him a contract…. So there is that, yet I personally believe that the UFC brass did contact Finkledinkle to aquire Mousasi but when they realized that he still is contracted with DREAM they retracted any thought of an offer
As if the UFC’s LHW div wasnt stacked enough. Guaranteed the casual fan will be like “didnt this guy just fight Couture at HW.”
Hope the UFC signs him.
The hits just keep on coming, and in LilNog’s case, that applies both literally and figuratively.
And once again we have a sterling example of the rich getting richer,
as if the UFC needed another standout 205er…
and one with almost a completely different game at that…
I guess I’m the only one that feels this way, so I am ready to be blasted… Didn’t this d-bag fail a drug test for roids like one year ago? If I’m wrong, sorry, but if I’m right, wtf?
Vernon White failed a drug test prior to the first Affliction card, leaving LilNog to fight Dewees.
in which dewees was detroyed
and then tested for steroids himself…
lil nog would hella test the “sensation” jon jones, or rather, they would test eachother. This is trouble for a lot of lhw’s since they are all mostly comfotable on their feet. Lil nog’s stand up like someone mentioned earlier, is better than big nog’s AND he can own you on the ground? Like i said, trouble…
How about the following for a matchup for Lil Nog’s debut in the UFC.
Lil Nog -vs- Luiz Arthur Cane