Big Nog wants Cro Cop rematch, says he'll fight 'as long as his body can take it'

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira feels good. The 38 year-old has been undergoing stem cell therapy to treat some nagging injuries and feels like it has been paying off, now he wants to fight as long as he feels healthy to do it.

Although he has a fight coming up against Stefan Struve, Big Nog"expressed his desire to rematch Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic in Japan after that.

"We will see, I'll keep going as long as my body can take it", he told Combate. "I'm focused on my next challenge, but the Cro Cop fight is something I would really like to do. Here in Brazil or in Japan. I think it would sell really well, everyone would like to see it. In Japan it would be a great main event for the Saitama Super Arena".

But Nogueira wants to make sure he is not looking over Struve. Having a hard time finding fighters tall enough to emulate The Skyscraper in training, Big Nog will spend some time at America Top Team to practice with suiting partners.

"They have three big guys over there I can train with, especially my wrestling. I'm also bringing two guys from Brazil who will help with my striking, they are also tall.  I have also faced some pretty tall guys before, like Semmy Schilt, so I have that going for me".

Nogueira and Stefan Struve are scheduled to fight at UFC 190, in Rio de Janeiro, on August 1. The card will be headlined by the female bantamweight title fight between Ronda Rousey and Bethe Correia.