Cain Velasquez vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira set for UFC 108
by Nick Thomas on Nov 4, 2009 6:20 PM EST
in MMA News
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According to Sensei Sportv’s blog, Nogueira’s manager confirmed that the Brazilian, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (32-5-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) set for UFC 108 will face the undefeated heavyweight Cain Velasquez (7-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) at UFC 108, which takes place at January 2.
Rumored card so far:
- Brock Lesnar vs. Shane Carwin
- Cain Velasquez vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
- Rashad Evans vs. Thiago Silva
- Junior Dos Santos vs. Gabriel Gonzaga
- Carlos Condit vs. Paul Daley
- Tyson Griffin vs. Jim Miller
- Martin Kampmann vs. Rory Markham
- Joe Lauzon vs. Sam Stout
- Dan Lauzon vs. Cole Miller
- Ryan Jensen vs. Mark Munoz
- Jake Ellenberger vs. Mike Pyle
HT: tatame.com
UPDATE (by Kid Nate): Don't count your chickens, Heavy.com reports:
Heavy.com contacted sources close to Velasquez, who refute the story as "pure speculation."
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This is a great match up — it will be interesting to see if Nog can get Velasquez on the ground… and keep him there.
if Cain doesn't want the fight on the ground
it won’t be on the ground.
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Tough fight for Nog with Cain’s aggressiveness and superior wrestling…however how many times has that been said and Nog walks away with the win? One thing for sure though is that if Cain can win this fight he’s certainly done enough to be awarded a title shot.
by Chadsac on Nov 4, 2009 5:56 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
agreed
Is Kongo the only reason Cain is ranked so high with so few fights?
by The Lethal Haze on Nov 4, 2009 6:25 PM EST up reply actions
That and hype, yeah. Kongo is a good win—he beat Cro Cop when that still meant something—but even then he only beat him after Kongo lost to Heath Herring.
by JRN on Nov 4, 2009 7:11 PM EST up reply actions
Woot!
"Hey, sewer rat may taste like pumpkin pie, but I'd never know 'cause I wouldn't eat the filthy motherf**ker" - Jules Winnfield
I’d say, “Wow! What a stacked card!” But I know 75-100% of these guys will suffer some sort of injury and they’ll get postponed.
"That feeling after you win and they raise your hand... it's like you have this energy that releases from your body, and it's like you mingle with the cosmos, and you feel omnipotent"
by woomikee on Nov 4, 2009 6:02 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
I kind of disagree. Even if you were saying that because Cain is a good wrestler and very explosive he is no where near the wrestler that Brock is. Brock is bigger, stronger, more explosive, more experienced, and as a division 1 champion that says a lot.. I think people are hyping Cain so much and the UFC is feeding him fight they think he would have more odds of winning. This fight with Nog is going to be very exciting but even if Nog beats Cain I doubt it would look anything similar to how a fight and win between Brock and Nog wold look.
Hmm...
This sets an interesting picture in the HW division…
We're just a million little gods causin' rain storms, turning every good thing to rust.
Why the hell would they do this fight?
I mean, it’s going to be awesome, but going from Ben Rothwell to Nogeira is a damn steep climb, and it eliminates a contender at the thin as hell HW division either way.
Nog By Miracle Sub
Officially now the head of the Lobstein bandwagon.
Looks like the Velasquez hype train has made it’s final stop.
by ufc4 on Nov 4, 2009 6:10 PM EST via mobile reply actions
Ummm no. There’s no shame in losing to Nog. Cain is still young and new to the sport and will only keep getting better in time. I think this fight is awesome for Cain, win or lose.
"Well... You're damned if you do, and You're damned if you don't."- Bart Simpson
by poundnground on Nov 4, 2009 6:27 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
I didn’t say he should be ashamed of losing to Nog but once he does there’ll be a lot less talk of him being the next HW champ considering he’ll be 1.5-2 years away from a title shot.
by ufc4 on Nov 4, 2009 7:58 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Ms. Cleo, ladies and gents.
Mike Goldberg: "You know Joe, When Matt and his brother Mark Hughes were growing up, they would pound each other behind the barn."
by xFenixKnightx on Nov 4, 2009 6:41 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
I think the UFC is definitely hoping on a Cain win, because the winner here has got to be the next #1 contender, and I’m sure they would hate to risk having Lesnar lose to a fighter who lost to Fedor twice.
That being said, while I think Cain is the real deal, I’ve always thought the three fighters in the UFC that are his biggest matchup problems are: Lesnar, for obvious reasons; Couture whose wrestling is still so good he may be able to negate Cain’s takedown abilities; and Big Nog who, if Cain can’t find a way to finish a fight quickly, has a great a chance of finding a submission if given three rounds to work from his back.
I don’t know why people think the UFC cares that Fedor beat Nog twice. They didn’t mind when nog was the interim champ, they didn’t mind when they tried to put him up against Couture all those times.
If Nog wins the hardcore fans will scream about how the UFC HW belt is a joke because it’s held by a guy that can’t beat Fedor, but no one who matters will hear that and the UFC will just keep counting their money.
“but something tells me the brass (if they can help it) will not be giving Big Nog the next shot without winning another tough fight . Not only because he was crushed by Frank Mir less than 2 fights ago but nobody wants soares controlling 3 champs or the guy who lost to Fedor 2 times being the UFC champ.”
- mmalogic
You seem to respect his opinion.
I don’t have to follow blindly what he says. (and Cain seems like a tough fight)
It doesn’t make sense to me. They gave him an interim title shot, they tried to give him a real title shot. They’ve gotten where they are by not caring about the competition, and not caring about Fedor when he’s not under contract.
No one gave a shit when Chuck lost in Pride, the only time they cared about Wand being the #1 LHW was when they were trying to get him to fight Chuck in the Octagon.
It seems like they’ve learned their lesson that Fedor is a lot more irrelevant when they stop telling people how irrelevant he is. Nog being the champ doesn’t hurt anyone.
I think it only matters now because he’s in direct competition with the UFC. Before they didn’t have to worry about any comparisons because he was fighting oversees or on an Affliction ppv that only the hardcore fans would see anyway (and before 2007 the UFC might say they had the best fighters but the wouldn’t disparage Pride as the minor leagues, It was an equal). Now they have to worry about people seeing him on CBS and having their friend point out that the that’s the guy who beat the UFC champ twice.
Maybe it doesn’t hurt the UFC but that would surely help bring eyeballs to his next fight.
Not to mention the hardcores already consider Fedor the #1 HW anyway.
by ufc4 on Nov 4, 2009 9:40 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
You would think, but read any of the forums and you’ll see ever since Lesnar won the title that there is a good chuck of people that don’t respect him that much. A Big Nog championship would change a lot of minds quick.
Great match up for Nog
Cain Velasquez can’t knock out my little sister. Nog will probably submit him though it’ll be a tougher fight than Randy as Cain is a great athlete. I think Cain may have p’d Dana off. I mean how come Dana protected this guy till now giving him tough opponents (but very good matchups). This one is a bad matchup.
I’m not sure it’s so much Dana throwing him in unprotected as it is just the next logical step in Cain’s career. Whether it’s hype or warranted, Cain is being billed as a threat for the championship and a contender, after beating Kongo and Rothwell, which was setup after he was supposed to fight Carwin, Nog or Mir would be the next step before a title shot. I love this fight because it’s gonna show us if Cain is for real and if Nog wins then it sets him up for a title shot against the winner of Carwin v. Lesnar.
just as a side note, all of the talk about cain having weak hands, no power, etc… is getting ridiculous at this point.
i could make the same argument about brock lesnar because of how his heath herring fight went.
i wouldn’t want to get punched in the face by cain velasquez any more or less than i would want to get hit by any other guy.
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by GregS123 on Nov 4, 2009 6:17 PM EST reply actions 2 recs
Heath Herring is legendarily tough, though. Only a prime Cro Cop has ever really finished him with strikes. The same can’t be said for Rothwell.
That being said, I do think “pillow fists” and other such rhetoric is probably going too far.
by JRN on Nov 4, 2009 6:23 PM EST up reply actions
Dude it took Arlovski a good while to finish Rothwell, so I would call Rothwell a tough guy to ko. And for sure people talking about Cain’s punching power is ridiculous. I’d love to see all the shit talkers take a punch from him.
"Well... You're damned if you do, and You're damned if you don't."- Bart Simpson
by poundnground on Nov 4, 2009 6:31 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Rothwell is a very tough guy for sure. I’m just saying that Heath Herring is famously resilient in a way that Rothwell is not.
by JRN on Nov 4, 2009 6:49 PM EST up reply actions
While I don’t agree with the degree people hate on Cain’s punching power, “I’d like to see them take a punch” is retarded.
Twitter: @Mike_Fagan_13
http://www.sackmikegoldberg.com
It’s the fact that it has been several fights in a row. I don’t think “pillow fist” is fair. But I do think it is fair to look at evidence and say “boy, it doesn’t look like he has a ton of power.”
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by Brent Brookhouse on Nov 4, 2009 6:25 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs
right, i think it’s fair to break down whether or not he’s got what it takes to be a true knockout artist. my issue is that people are taking it too far and not being realistic. there are a lot of degrees in between ‘monster KO power in every punch’, and ‘no punching power at all’.
assuming that cain can’t hurt nog with any strikes is not a great way to assess the fight…
www.tapology.com | twitter.com/tapology
Lensar has Mono
I think Lesnar might have to actually vacate the title or we may get another interim title. I’d like to see another tournament. Carwin Cain Dossantos Nog and the winner becomes interim champ?
Woah!
Really good fight! It’s a toss up to me. Nog could submit him or Cain might blast him.
This sets up a real contendor for the title. Great work Joe Silva!
Mike Goldberg: "You know Joe, When Matt and his brother Mark Hughes were growing up, they would pound each other behind the barn."
So.
Cain’s questionable punching power vs. Nog’s legendary chin
Cain’s awesome wrestling vs. Nog’s awesome BJJ
Cain’s great workrate vs. Nog’s neverending heart
I am SO in
Editor - BloodyElbow.com - SBNation's mixed martial arts headquarters.
MMA Editor - SBNation.com
by Brent Brookhouse on Nov 4, 2009 6:24 PM EST reply actions 3 recs
I’d like this fight even more if one of them had the belt. Has the potential to be a great five round war.
Giving Shogun his props. I had the fight 48-47 Machida but Shogun put up a monumental performance and I am honored to have seen it in person.
So.
If Velasquez knocks out Big Nog will you say Nog is old or will you give Cain his props?
"I look down and boom! I kick 'im in his 'ead! I knew I ‘urt ‘im, when he said aarg" – GSP
If Velasquez knocks out Big Nog I will be too busy checking out the window for flying pigs.
by brad23 on Nov 4, 2009 7:32 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
touche
'He built his whole reputation as a waffle house chef. They’ve been serving him up ham and eggs with a side of canned tomatoes' - Don Frye on Fedor Emelianenko
by Well Read Idiot on Nov 5, 2009 7:13 AM EST up reply actions
After...
seing Randy clip Nog several times? I’d say Cain deserves all the credit in the world.
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MMA Editor - SBNation.com
by Brent Brookhouse on Nov 5, 2009 8:48 AM EST up reply actions
Brent’s always been a little skeptical about Cain. Though I dont agree with it I can see why, I guess.
Also I can see it already. It’s inevitable actually. If Cain KO’s Nog people will say Nog is done, he only beat an old Randy Couture blah blah blah. It’s never enough.
WAR VELASQUEZ!!!1
Mike Goldberg: "You know Joe, When Matt and his brother Mark Hughes were growing up, they would pound each other behind the barn."
by xFenixKnightx on Nov 4, 2009 6:39 PM EST up reply actions
Seems like a good fight for Nog on paper, in that he’ll probably have the edge standing and Cain might be reluctant to take the fight to the ground.
Cain is a young, strong guy though, and he may be able to nullify Nog’s guard enough to take two rounds out of three. You never know, especially with MMA judging being what it is.
When are they going to stop babying Cain and give him someone tough?
Come on!
Keep firing Assholes!
I am the King of Rome, and am above grammar. -Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor
^
Sarcasm
Keep firing Assholes!
I am the King of Rome, and am above grammar. -Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor
The talk about Cain’s punching power is absolutely ridiculous! Punching power or not, he gave both Cheick Kongo and Ben Rothwell the beating of their lives. Seriously, he just mauled those two guys. How can you be anything but impressed by the way he man handled them like they will little babies! I don’t know how anyone can criticise him for those two performances. And the punches he took of Kongo, only Nog in his prime would have took them!
by Ilias on Nov 4, 2009 6:39 PM EST reply actions 3 recs
Agreed.
Mike Goldberg: "You know Joe, When Matt and his brother Mark Hughes were growing up, they would pound each other behind the barn."
by xFenixKnightx on Nov 4, 2009 6:42 PM EST up reply actions
If he can beat guys to a pulp and make refs stop the fights he has punching power IMO.
BTW, was Rothwell at the postfight conf? Did he do any post fight video interviews? Didnt think so.
Mike Goldberg: "You know Joe, When Matt and his brother Mark Hughes were growing up, they would pound each other behind the barn."
by xFenixKnightx on Nov 4, 2009 6:57 PM EST up reply actions
Yes but when people say he doesn’t hit hard or call him ‘pillow hands’, they’re in a way insinuating that he’s nothing to fear. When the reality is, he is capable of annihilating people! That’s why it is ridiculous! Who cares if he doesn’t KO people. You could even argue that Kongo and Rothwell would have been better off had they been KO’d.
I agree with you but I think your giving way to much credit into something quit simple. Cain is a good wrestler and Rothwell and Kongo suck off their backs. Its not much more than that at all. Its not like Cain was so superior and impressive at all. I knew before the fights even happened that sure Cain might get clipped once or twice (which did happen) but its obvious that he was going to “maul” them given how unmatched those fights were (in the wrestling department) on paper. I mean come on does any body think the UFC set those fights up and thought that either of those guys were going to stuff Cain’s take downs and keep it competitive on the feet? The UFC made those fights for a “mauling”
The UFC is kick ass at Match Making.
Great fight! Can Cain GNP the hell outta Nog? Can he stop him? Will he try to box Nog to put away his “pillow hands” stigma? Will Nog take Cain’s arm home with him?
So many questions, not many answers. GREAT FIGHT!
Drunk post???
'He built his whole reputation as a waffle house chef. They’ve been serving him up ham and eggs with a side of canned tomatoes' - Don Frye on Fedor Emelianenko
by Well Read Idiot on Nov 5, 2009 7:20 AM EST up reply actions
Cain and Carwin haven't fought too many challenging guys
Cain has beaten Rothwell and Kongo but no major jujitsu guy till now. So is Carwin. I think Carwin should get Mir if Lesnar can’t defend his title. I have a feeling Lesnar won’t be ready for 108 or 109. So these guys need to fight. I doubt Carwin will. He ran his mouth off on Lesnar to get that title shot and he won’t let it go.
I love Nog
but I tend to think that Cain will win by laying a Fedor-esque beating on Nog. It’ll be interesting to see if he can stay out of Nog’s subs, but to be honest Fedor wrote the book on how to beat Nog from his guard, and Cain has just the right mix of dominant wrestling and hyperactive GnP to be able to implement Fedor’s gameplan. Whether or not he has the submission defense to not get choked has yet to be seen, but I think Velasquez will come out the winner.
It’ll also be interesting to see who wins the standup; Nogueira has very solid boxing and improved muay thai skills, but then again Cain has displayed pretty good standup in every fight but the Kongo fight. Both guys with good chins but not much power in their hands, so the standup is really any man’s game.
Not that I wouldn’t be stoked to see Nog pull out a hail mary armbar/ triangle/ guillotine though :)
Supporting all Las Vegas MMA. Xtreme Couture FTMFW.
'09 is the year of the FW's.
fedor is one of the hardest hitters in the heavywieght divison cain is, well not. Thats what made him soo effective in nogs gaurd. That and fedors strenght.
True
but i’m not entirely convinced of this whole “Velasquez has no power” business. I think that he goes for volume more than power, and it’s worked so far. He dropped Stojnic with punches, if I remember correctly.
But yes, Fedor’s soul sapping GnP, coupled with his great judo takedowns and submission savvy are why he beat Nog. From where I stand, it looks like Velasquez has at least 2 of those 3 (good GnP, great takedowns), and Nog will test his sub defense for sure.
Great fight, i’m leaning towards Cain, but mainly because I really think that Nog is in the twilight of his career.
Supporting all Las Vegas MMA. Xtreme Couture FTMFW.
'09 is the year of the FW's.
by ElliotMatheny on Nov 4, 2009 9:29 PM EST up reply actions
Actually that was kind of a premature stoppage. Right after it ended they asked him if he was ok and he kind of shrugged and gave a “i guess” answer as if someone asked him if he would like a sandwich.
by IpullguardIRL on Nov 5, 2009 11:25 AM EST up reply actions
I think this is gonna be an ass whipping
and I think Nog is going to be doing the whipping….just so that’s clear….
As a ginormous Nog fanboy, I don’t like this fight.
Cain only has to do his ‘top-control’ thing for three rounds. Which is highly probable, since I don’t think Nog will be able to stuff Cain’s takedown attempts. If Cain is able to employ a Fedor-esque GnP, and avoid subs, it could be a rather one-sided decision (even if Pillow Hands fails to do any serious damage).
Still, I’ll be as irrational as ever when it comes to Nog and predict the 2nd round sub.
I specializes in grammar fail.
It’s ok to be irrational, the normal rules don’t apply to Nog.
Keep firing Assholes!
I am the King of Rome, and am above grammar. -Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor
For me, it can’t be helped when it comes to Nog, Wandy, and, to a much sexier extent, Akiyama. As the night draws closer to when each of them fight, I turn into a zealot for their causes.
I specializes in grammar fail.
by a tommy point on Nov 4, 2009 7:05 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Is Cain a better wrestler than Randy? Nog had Randy in trouble a few times, it has yet to be seen if Cain can fight through a sub attempt like Randy did.
I don’t know about “better”, but he’s certainly a different kind of wrestler. He relies much more on speed and power, he’s much bigger and stronger, and is much more inclined to freestyle wrestling double and single leg shots. Randy is much more about the greco clinch, about working guys up high to overballance then dropping them with a trip or hip throw, and prefers to soften up his opponents with dirty boxing while working for position. Two very very different approaches to getting the fight on the ground, and one would imagine, to controlling the fight once it’s there.
"I'm AJB and I endorse this nut-puncher."
by AJB on Nov 5, 2009 7:08 AM EST up reply actions
After the main event
Nogueira a Nogueira / Dos Santos tag team comes into the Octagon and smashes BROCKLESNAR with a steel chair to lay down the challenge for the strap at Survivor Series UFC 113.
Kuwabara Kuwabara
by J. B. Maddox on Nov 4, 2009 7:04 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
But what if Nog pulls off his Nog mask to reveal that he’s actually the other Nog?
I specializes in grammar fail.
by a tommy point on Nov 4, 2009 7:12 PM EST up reply actions 3 recs
NOGLESNAR!!!!!
Keep firing Assholes!
I am the King of Rome, and am above grammar. -Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor
by Ubernoober on Nov 4, 2009 7:14 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
wow the heavyweight division has truly changed
Assuming the current champion can get over his cold/flu/mono/whatever, we will get to see Lesnar vs Carwin, Nogueira vs Velasquez, and Dos Santos vs Gonzaga on the same card.
by Lauren J Darkbloom on Nov 4, 2009 7:34 PM EST reply actions
Yeah, this fight will probably headline, and we’ll see Lesnar fight 109 or 10.
I dig this fight though. Should be interesting — we haven’t really seen how well Cain can deal with the BJJ, and I’m still wondering about Nog’s health, which adds another dimension (if I had to guess I’d say he’s healthy).
(if I had to guess I’d say he’s healthy).
Randy Couture agrees.
'He built his whole reputation as a waffle house chef. They’ve been serving him up ham and eggs with a side of canned tomatoes' - Don Frye on Fedor Emelianenko
by Well Read Idiot on Nov 5, 2009 7:25 AM EST up reply actions
I go back and forth on the 5 round non-title fight discussion. My problem is that there needs to be a standard, but how can do make it judicial? I would love to see this 5 rounds, but then why not make Swick v. Hardy 5 rounds since it’s supposedly a contender fight? Arbitrarily granted certain fights as 5 rounders creates a slippery slope and probably more problems than the UFC needs.
Who cares if it’s a slippery slope.
If the commission, promoter, and fighters think it should be 5 rounds, it should be 5 rounds.
The current standard of “is it a title fight” is just as arbitrary, because there is nothing to stop a promoter from making an interim belt.
There is no logical reason why this fight can’t be 5 rounds but Glass Joe vs Mr Dream can be 5 rounds because it’s for the Southern Illinois Hardcore Fighting Championship.
Perhaps just 5 round title fights and non-title main events. I would love to see it.
’’Apparently the the only way to kill a lion is by rear naked choke…personally i’d just kick it in the head.’’ – Bas Rutten
"I am impervious to all pain!" – Pat Smith, UFC 1, right before tapping out to a Shamrock heel hook.
Lesnar Out of UFC 108
Sources close to Brock Lesnar’s camp informed Heavy.com tonight that Lesnar will not be able to participate in the postponed main event of UFC 108 against Shane Carwin.
Lesnar has battled an undisclosed illness for the past month that forced him to withdraw from a scheduled title defense against Carwin at UFC 106. The bout was rescheduled for UFC 108, but Heavy.com learned earlier this week that Lesnar has not recovered from the illness and cannot train at even a moderate page without quickly becoming exhausted.
A UFC source confirmed the story while pointing out that Lesnar was never officially part of the UFC 108 card.
http://www.heavy.com/post/lesnar-out-of-ufc-108-main-event-1342
i'm glad there giving another chance to jake ellenbeger
the kid destroyed carlos condit in their first round fight. condit came back to win it but the kid was exciting. i also like rashad evans vs thiago silva. the end of the year cards are always stacked.
by wolfmanshowlforever on Nov 4, 2009 10:35 PM EST up reply actions
This is the UFC's new policy......
I think it was Aikyaiama or someone posted on a blog at the recent UFC “Fighters Summit” they were told to no longer tip reporters off about bout agreements that they have either signed or been presented with until the UFC officially announces the fight.
That’s probably why Cain’s ppl are being so hesitant and labeling this “pure speculation.”
Love this fight!!!
Cannot wait. Would love for Nog to sub Cain
'He built his whole reputation as a waffle house chef. They’ve been serving him up ham and eggs with a side of canned tomatoes' - Don Frye on Fedor Emelianenko
Bad match making by Joe Silva again. Like has been said in this thread already to go from Rothwell to Nog is a giant leep in calibre of competition. Some are saying that Cain has enough superior ground and pound, wrestling, and control skills to hand Nog a whooping but Nog even though could be in the twilight of his career has faced the same fighter on paper many of times. I would have rather seen Cain vs Tuchscherer, Todd Duffee, JDS, Gonzaga. In my opinion this fight can and would be exciting although it is a rather awkward match up. We know Nog has the tools and experience to sub Cain and we know Cain has the tools to grind out a decision on the feet or with ground and pound. I want to see someone who can test Cain’s wrestling department and see if he could take down those bigger HWs I mentioned or if they could take Him down…. Either way I do not think Cain has deserved a fight with Nog yet. Cain has had less than 10 fights. Sure some maybe (DW) would argue he is close to the title and if he beats Nog he deserves a shot at the title, but In my opinion that would be rushing things far too much. If some how Cain beats Nog we will all see him fight for the title prematurely.
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