According to an interview with Tatame it was Anderson Silva (a BJJ blackbelt under the Nogueira brothers) who got Minotauro his UFC contract. Big Nog goes on to comment about a variety of issues – including whether he’ll leave Brazilian Top Team – but his comments about the style of fighting in the UFC is interesting. Notable quote:
I started fighting MMA in the octagon. In the ring sometimes they stop the fight when it’s going out of the ring and that never happen in the octagon what is better for the one who looks for submissions. Elbows are not bad for me, because when the opponent tries to use elbows He will open space for my submission attacks. Also I never liked soccer kicks and stomps. I think that’s for street fights.
He’s right, although I worry about whether the many wars Nogueira’s been in have produced scar tissue that cuts very easily a la Pedro Rizzo. It would be a shame for such a grappling wizard to lose fights because someone landed a glancing elbow.
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