Report: Nogueira May Be Next Opponent for Couture
According to Fox Sports Antonio Rodrigo Nogueria may be Randy Couture’s next opponent. Here’s a clip from the report:
While not confirmed, UFC officials after the fight were talking about another Brazilian, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, the former Pride heavyeight champion, as Couture’s next opponent.
Couture, on the other hand, wants to face Fedor Emelianenko in his next bout:
Couture, who rarely asks for a specific opponent, wants a match with Fedor Emelianenko, generally considered the world’s best heavyweight. Negotiations between Dana White and Emelianenko’s representatives have gone hot and cold over the past two months, but they have another meeting scheduled for the next week.
While the report lacks any certainty a fight with Fedor or Nogueira would present another very tough test for the current UFC Heavyweight Champion.
Nogueira holds a stellar 30-4-1 record and is 6-1 in his last 7 fights. In his UFC debut “Minotauro” defeated Heath Herring by unanimous decision to set up a possible match for the title.
Emelianenko, the most sought after MMA free agent, has just one loss compared to his 26 wins. Emelianenko has defeated many of MMA’s biggest names including Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic and Nogueira but has yet to fight in the UFC. A special clause in his contract with PRIDE allowed him to fight for Bodog Fight earlier this year in Russia. Emelianenko defeated Matt Lindland via armbar submission and has been locked in contract negotiations with the UFC ever since.
At this point Nogueira seems like the most likely possibility for the fight simply because the negotiations with Fedor have showed no signs of moving forward anytime soon. However if a deal is struck with the Russian mixed martial artist in the near term it is expected that Emelianenko will receive an immediate shot at the heavyweight title.
I think Couture will have an easier time with Minotauro than Gonzaga. I mean Gonzaga is bigger and stronger than Couture and we was what Couture did to Gonzaga. Couture should be able to ground and pound a victory over Minotauro.
I would love to see him fight Fedor. It would be such a good fight!!
Can someone please explain to me like I'm a little kid why Big Nog gets a shot?? What has he done in the UFC? He's lucky he has a victory. This is a pathetic match-up.
to see randy face fedor for the title…would possibly be the biggest fight of the year or next year whenever it happens….bigger then wanderlei vs chuck…even bigger then ufc 66 when chuck beat tito….however as much as i do like fedor i dont give him a chance to win this fight….people doubted randy for too long and now people are starting to see…this man is a beast…..sure fedor has fought some of the best…but lets face it people no matter what the rankings are in the HW division randy couture is the man to beat he should be at the top of that list without a doubt after last nights wicked beat down of gonzaga…anywho the fedor vs randy is a dream match but look for randy to fight minataro in his next fight.
Peace
i would like to see fedor fight randy, but if that don't happen then nog should get it, i'd say he'll probaly win to, but you never know with randy
Fedor vs. Randy wouldn’t be the biggest fight of the year. It wwould be the biggest fight ever. I believe Noguiera desirves a shot based on his Pride record. I would like to see Randy fight someone,maybe Nog, Vera, Arlovski, and then for his final fight of his career, defeat Fedor to secure his place as the greatest fighter in history.
Antonio "Minotauro" Nogueira deserves a title shot because he is always a top ranked heavyweight. I would rather see Arlovski get a title shot before Minotauro does. Arlovski's last fight wasn't too exciting, but he did win the fight and was never in trouble. Nogueira won his last fight, but should have lost because he got rocked by Herring and the ref let the fight continue. Nogueira needs one more fight I think, but regardless of who fights Randy next will lose.
i agree wit scotcydow as too it being randy's last fight to fight and beat fedor and then retire….love that idea cuz then no one can say that randy is not the greatest fighter to ever grace the octagon with his presence…surpassin the likes of even royce gracie or ken shamrock..would i would think would be a good matchup now is randy vs chuck again…as good as randy is i dont think liddell could catch him with those looping shots…anywho we should start a petition on the net to get fedor in the ufc witout his managment trying to get other fighters in wit fedor too….
After the beating Randy put on Gonzaga, he could be the man to beat Fedor. I could see Randy talking Fedor down and elbowing the dog crap out of him. Randy is skilled enough to hold him down and submit him. Fedor is awesome but if anyone can beat the chubby nightmare it's Randy…or maybe Josh Barnett(the man Fedor wouldn't fight). Those are the 2 guys I can see ending his title reign and speaking of which, a Barnett/Couture rematch would be very interesting? But that's another thread altogether.
Randy will in all likelyhood put the hurt on Nogueira like he did to Gonzaga. The ref stoppages are generally quicker in the UFC than Pride, so I don't see McCarthy allowing Nogueira to get his face pounded in for 25 min like in his 1st fight against Fedor. It's just UFC rules are more concerned about fighter safety that's why they don't allow soccer kicks and stomps to the head. I think they should allows knees to a downed opponent and wearing wrestling shoes as those are the counterparts to elbows and 4 ounce gloves but you get the idea.
We won't know who wins until we see them fight…until then may the best man win
In response to ravine. I think Randy is a badass, there is no doubt about it. But you also got to rememeber that he lost to Chuck…twice. He can be beaten. I really think Fedor would be an even match up and it could go either way. I think this is a setup by Dana White to get Fedor in the UFC. Randy never calls anyone out. I wonder how much Dana paid him to call him out and make Fedor sound like a **** if he doesnt join the UFC.
Randy did lose to Chuck twice FixXer, but at Light Heavyweight. I don't know if Chuck can beat Randy at Heavyweight. I think now that Randy doesn't cut weight, especially at his older age; he is more of a threat than he used to be when he lost to Chuck in consecutive fights. Randy's life is better than it used to be and he is more motivated than ever. Randy can be beaten, but it seems more and more unlikely.
If they can't get Fedor, I think Arlovski should be next. I would like to see Nog take on at least 1 more opponent before a shot at the title. I guess I just feel like Arlovski is up and he should get his turn.
If couture wants fight Fedor he better eat his wheaties Fedor is the real deal hes not Gonzaga nor Silvia nor none of those dude this guy is an Animal, he will beat the **** out of Couture i guarantee it if he happens to loose wich i seriously doubt, Then Couture will have to be my Hero foe Life.
Hey mikey; an Arlovski vs. Couture match would be a dream. I have to go with Couture in that fight, but it will be closer than people think.
I'd pick Couture over Arlovski too simply because I can't doubt the man until someone steps up and beats him. He truly has overcome the odds but a match against Arlovski (or Vera for that matter) would great but Arlovski would be the far better match.
Did everyone forget why Arlovski lost his title shot. He didn't fight last time. Randy brings the fight to you NO MATTER WHO YOU ARE. That's why Chuck knocked him out, Randy charged him all guns blazing when he got stunned. Randy is a different monster at heavyweight. Him and Fedor are an awful lot alike(but Fedors ground and pound is the best in the game) I think Josh Barrnett may be the only man out there who could really put it to Fedor or Randy.
PS…… THERE IS NO WAY IN HELL THAT CHUCK LIDDELL COULD MAKE IT AS A HEAVYWEIGHT( and yes, I am an Iceman fan)
Also, somebody yesterday said Dana White probablly paid Randy to challenge Fedor. Randy has wanted to fight Fedor for years. He was challenging Fedor back in 2000 when he was champ before. Randy just wants to be the best, and to be the best, you gotta beat the best.
Arlovski and Couture would be a blockbuster fight. The fans that are new to the sport know who Arlovski is. The buy rates are that PPV will be off the chain. I just hope the UFC can get Arlovski's contract extended. It seems the UFC doesn't want to pay up for Arlovski's services. The UFC owes it to him because Arlovski used to be the face of the Heavyweight division and still can be after Randy retires.
Even though Arlovski sat back how he fought was effective but not spectacular. Randy would surely test that. I can't see the UFC not getting his contract extended truthfully because, even if they don't grant him a title shot soon (but I personally think they will) he is still very marketable.
I agree Kris that Arlovski is very marketable. Him and Randy look like true fighters; they have that "it" factor. Both have well put together bodies and can make the UFC a whole lot of money as champion. Arlovski still has some loyal fans and I am one of them. I wonder who Arlovski might fight, if he has his contract entended?
Yeah, thanks andrei. Your services are no longer required at market value. Even though you helped carry the heavyweight division and fought many very large opponents we cannot give you the respect that you deserve. And even though you keep winning I tend to think you are growing boring. Even if I do praise matt hughes for doing even less-Dana White.
It will be a sad day, if the UFC announces that, "The Pitbul is no longer with the UFC." I kind of like to think that Arlovski grew up in the UFC. He has had his fair share of fights in the UFC. One of his best fights was a slugfest with Pedro Rizzo. I wonder if we will ever see Rizzo back in the UFC?
It is too bad that Couture wants a fight with Fedor. Hopefully for his sake this won’t happen. The reason Pride was bought by UFC was for something this embarrasing not to happen .
I'm guessing now that Fedor has seen CroCop not doing too good will probably decide not to risk losing his #1 in the world title.
You raise a good issue here Mikey, but a guy like Fedor is not afraid of anyone. Fedor has ice water in his veins. Hopefully Fedor comes to the UFC and our man Randy takes him out.
In my opinion, Fedor will lose his #1 ranking if he doesn't sign with the UFC. No matter what contrivercy(sp?) is going on now, the UFC has the top Heavyweights in the world right now, and if Fedor isn't taking on the top competition, then he is not the top dog. His last fight was with a middleweight for christ sakes. Matt Lindland is great don't get me wrong, but is that the only competition Bodog can russel up for the KING?!?!?
I'm really looking forward to the Sylvia/ Vera match. I think Vera has great potential - we'll see how the layoff has affected him. He could be possibly a force down the road, Sylvia will have his hands full. But for now you have to praise the champ, you got to like what he's doing.
The CHAMP? Whom do you refur to? Sylvia is not a champ anymore by a long shot. I can't wait to see Vera against Sylvia though. I hope Vera lives up to the expectations(mine anyways)