Ahead of his bout against former UFC middleweight champion Rich Franklin (28-6-0) at UFC 133 - Davis vs. Evans, Brazilian star Antonio Rogerio Nogueira realizes there are parts of his game that required tweaking since joining the UFC ranks, as well as a mental adaptation he must undergo with his promotion future hanging in the balance of his next performance. While "Minotoro's" takedown defense has shown signs of improvement of late, he's still adjusting to a state-side mentality and rule-set that has presented its challenges to the perennial top-ten light heavyweight.
In an interview with Sherdog.com, Nogueira had this to say:
“My camps and the way I prepare for fights doesn’t change much,” he said. “What really changed from Pride to the UFC was the style of the fighters, who are better prepared and have more power and physical potential. I think the rules are very different, as well. The UFC allows tighter fights, more ground fights. It’s different, but I’ve got to get used to these rules, or I can’t fight here [in the UFC].”
When discussing the challenge that stands before him in Franklin, Nogueira makes clear his intention on August 6 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.
“It’s the most important fight of my career,” said Nogueira. “I have to walk through him and always move forward. I can’t accept his game. Franklin is a guy who likes to rush in, and I have to be careful with that. After these two losses, I’ve got to beat him in a good fight. I’ve got to knock him out and look for it from the first round.”
With little more than a month remaining to prepare, Nogueira vows to fans that they can expect to see a more aggressive "Minotoro" than the one who has been stifled by wrestling minded fighters in his previous two outings, resulting in the first two-fight losing streak in the ten-year veteran's career. Franklin has always been one to stand and bang when the opportunity presents itself, so the former PRIDE FC standout should get plenty of opportunities to execute his plan; whether or not Franklin obliges is another thing all together.
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