Top Five Most Painful Blows as Told by Big Nog

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"Killer" defender, learned his lesson:

-The first beating I took was when I was a boy, playing ball. I must have had seven to eight years. I was a defender, "killer", I was not very good, and when people would dribble through me I would go straight for the legs (laughs). One day, I went after the leg of a friend of mine from my street, he got up and gave me a punch that broke my nose. I bled a lot, and it was one of those beatings that you don't forget (laughs). I was traumatized with this kid for five years. He was my age, even smaller than me, but he got angry and came with hot blood. I was even apologizing when he got up, but got a broken nose. I learned that you should never drop your guard (laughs).

Hearring's kick torn ligaments in knee:

- A kick that I took on the leg in a dispute for the title in PRIDE in 2001, against Heath Hearring, was terrible. His kick tore all the ligaments in my knee. I kept on fighting, but it cost me a surgery.

Fedor Emelianenko and a broken cheekbone:

- There was a fight with Fedor Emelianenko (PRIDE 25, 2003) when he punched me and practically broke my cheekbone. It was a very strong punch.

Fedor keeps on bugging and keeps the title:

-Another was a headbutt that Fedor gave me in the end of the (HW Grand Prix, PRIDE, 2004). But he cut himself when he headbutted me, and the referee stopped the fight. I was winning, and that postponed our title fight. That was, in reality, a headbutt that cost me the title (four months later he would go on to lose to his rival).

Being confused for his twin brother:

-One time, I was in Carnaval in Salvador, I was around 15 or 16 at the time, and some guys were arguing with my twin brother. I was in one street and they were in another. They were arguing and almost fought. I think they had gone after a friend of ours, a smaller kid, so my brother had stepped up to fight the guy. So I was walking around, going by there and the guy yelled "Look, the son of a bitch is back!". There were five of them and I was alone. They ganged up on me, I took off running but took a lot of beatings (laughs).

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