This week, UFC Heavyweight Champ Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and UFC Middleweight Champ Anderson Silva will be opening up their own training center in Miami FL. MMANews.com’s own Chris Howie had a chance to sit down and chat with the Heavyweight champ to discuss the opening of the gym and among other things his thoughts on being a coach on TUF 8 as well as which fighters he would like to fight in the heavyweight division and what he thinks about the whole Randy Couture situation.
Chris Howie of MMANews.com: This is Chris Howie with MMANews.com and today I have the pleasure of speaking with the UFC Heavyweight Champion of the world Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. How are things today Antonio?
Minotauro: Things are going great buddy.
MMANews.com: So you have a new gym opening up in Miami, can you tell our readers a little about what you have going on?
Minotauro: Yes, we have a new gym opening in Miami. I use to have a gym in Fort Lauderdale but decided that Miami would be easier. It will be me and my brother and Anderson Silva, who decided to move here because it will be easier for training. Being here in America we won’t have to travel all the way from the Brazil. We have a good team here teaching and for training together.
MMANews.com: When does the gym open?
Minotauro: It will be open on Thursday and Friday will be open for students. On Saturday me and my brother will be teaching a seminar and on Monday classes will start.
MMANews.com: It was just announced that you will be a coach on the eighth season of The Ultimate Fighter. What are your thoughts on that?
Minotauro: Yeah, Monday I will be leaving for Vegas to discuss all the details with the producers and the UFC but I look forward to coaching some good guys on the show.
MMANews.com: Have you had a chance to watch any previous season of TUF?
Minotauro: Umm, here and there I’ve had a chance to catch some episodes. I know it should be fun. We will have 10 weeks with the fighters to teach them everything that we can. We will teach them some good stuff.
MMANews.com: Do you have any idea who you will bring on as your assistant coaches?
Minotauro: I will be bringing in my submission guy and I think I will have a boxing coach in from California. Anderson Silva will be one of my guests and I think my brother will go to. I believe I will have a wrestling coach in from Calfornia too.
MMANews.com: Now is it planned to face Frank Mir at the end of the season?
Minotauro: I’ll know more for sure on Monday. I’m going to go and find out who my next opponent will be and when the dates will be and such so I can’t really give a lot of information on that.
MMANews.com: In your last fight you defeated Tim Sylvia for the Heavyweight title. What did it mean to you to win that belt?
Minotauro: Man, it was always a dream for me to win the UFC title. I started training MMA and Jiu-Jitsu in 1994 after I seen the first show with Royce Gracie. He showed how well the Jiu-Jitsu technique can work and when I seen that I thought to myself that I had to train that. So I went to look for a school. I was already doing some boxing at the time so when I put the BJJ into the mix that was how I first got started into MMA.
MMANews.com: What were your thoughts on coming to America?
Minotauro: Well I had family in America and I have a lot of students in America so it is good to be here.
MMANews.com: How did you feel about Randy Couture holding out from the UFC and not fighting you?
Minotauro: When they had asked me to fight for the title he had the Heavyweight belt so my plan was to fight him. He has his reasons with contracts and such and he has to look for what’s best for him. I have the belt now and am ready to face him. From my background anyone can tell that I am good enough to fight Couture and I hope that he comes back some day because I am ready to face him. I think we would make a very exciting fight.
MMANews.com: Considering the legacy that you have in this sport, did you feel insulted that he somewhat overlooked you and was more focused on Fedor?
Minotauro: I haven’t really thought about it too much. Too see my fights and too see how many wins I have and how many hard fights I’ve fought I think I am in a good position to be the UFC Heavyweight Champion. He has his reasons and he has to look for where he can make the most money. I’m here. If the best guys in the world want the UFC belt they are going to have to face me. I don’t care what people say, when they want to fight I’ll be here.
MMANews.com: Where does the heart come from that you consistently show in all of your of fights?
Minotauro: You know, I started Judo when I was 4 years old so I have always had that drive to compete. Sometimes I have hard times in fights so I have learned how too manage the fights and learned how to change too what is coming in the fights. When I was 11 I was hit by a truck and I had a really really hard time then and I think that was something that really motivated me. I also have great partners and trainers in Brazil and now in Florida. All my training partners are the best. We are also constantly training so we are always ready.
MMANews.com: You have fought the best heavyweights in the world at one time or another. Are there any particular fights that you would like to have?
Minotauro: Yes, I’d like to fight that Russian guy that used to be heavyweight champion…
MMANews.com: [Andrei] Arlovski?
Minotauro: Yes him. I’d also like to fight Randy Couture and maybe Fedor, I love to fight Fedor because he is such a good fighter. I’d also like to Frank Mir because he has such good Jiu-Jitsu.
MMANews.com: Fedor and Tim Sylvia will be fighting in July. Considering you have fought both of them who do you see taking that one?
Minotauro: That’s going to be an interesting one man. If Sylvia can keep it standing he’ll have a good chance to win. Fedor is a better grappler and has good takedowns. It will be intense. If it goes to the ground Fedor will have a good chance. He may have a hard time getting him down but once he does he’ll be in control. Tim Sylvia has heavy hands man and he moves well. It will be a very good fight.
MMANews.com: When you get a chance to sit down and watch fights, who do you like to watch?
Minotauro: I like Anderson Silva, he’s fun too watch. I also like to watch Georges St. Pierre.
MMANews.com: What type of charity work do you have going on right now?
Minotauro: In Brazil we have classes for poor kids that can’t afford training, at my gym. We have about 150 kids doing that. We have boxing and Jiu-Jitsu classes for them. We also have weight lifting classes for kids and we have a wrestling coach in from Romania for them. Once we have everything set up with the gym here in America we will start looking to social things here as well.
MMANews.com: Is there any idea when your brother will fight again?
Minotauro: Well he was fighting in Canada and right now he is in negotiations to fight back in Japan possibly in July. He is always training and he is always ready.
MMANews.com: Is that with DREAM or with World Victory Road?
Minotauro: We can’t really say right now but there are some good offers on the table. We spent a lot of time in Japan and I love the Japanese people.
MMANews.com: Is there anything you would like to say to your fans out there?
Minotauro: Yeah, I’d to invite them to come down to the gym. The gym will be opened up and any fans living in the area are welcome to come down. We have a seminar on Saturday so they can come down and work out and we will sign some autographs for everyone. Next week I’ll be going down to Vegas to talk with the UFC and producers and we will be making a champ out of someone on the show. I’d also like to thank all the fans for their support over the years in America and back home.
MMANews.com: Ok Antonio I appreciate you taking the time to speak with me today, I know you must be busy with the opening of the gym and such but I congratulate you on the opening and look forward to seeing you back in action.
Minotauro: Hey thanks buddy. Thanks a lot for giving me a call and call me anytime you need anything.
