Shogun is open to a rematch with Lil Nog

by Barrett Hooper

After watching Antonio Rogerio Nogueira’s impressive-as-hell knockout win over Luis Cane in his UFC debut at Saturday’s UFC 106 I started thinking about who the PRIDE vet and brother of UFC heavyweight Minotauro Nogueira should face next. I wouldn’t mind seeing him face Forrest Griffin or Brandon Vera. But then I attended an MMA seminar at Toronto BJJ on Sunday with Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and somebody asked him what he thought of a rematch with Lil Nog.

Rua and Nogueira fought a three-round war during the 2005 PRIDE Middleweight Grand Prix quarter-finals that Rua won by unanimous decision. “Yes, I think that would be a very interesting fight, a good rematch,” Rua said. “We had a good fight the first time and it would be fun to do again.” Of course, an octagon rematch (minus head stomps and soccer kicks) will have to wait until after Shogun has his rematch with light heavyweight champ Lyoto Machida on May 1 in Montreal.