Antonio ‘Minotauro’ Nogueira Eyes UFC 110 in Australia for Return

Published on: 22nd November, 2009

Antonio 'Minotauro' Nogueira Eyes UFC 110 in Australia for Return  | read this item

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Just shortly after accepting to main event the UFC 108 fight card in January of 2010, former PRIDE and UFC heavyweight title holder Antonio Rodrigo ‘Minotauro’ Nogueira learned that he was diagnosed with a severe staph infection on his elbow and had to withdraw from the event. But now that he is undergoing the right treatment with antibiotics, Nogueira says that he will be back at 100% percent health and would like to compete as soon as the UFC 110 card in the promotion’s first ever event in Sydney, Australia during the month of February, 2010.

In an exclusive interview with MMAWeekly.com Nogueira explains the infection that he has endured and says that he is going under treatment to get it healed up in time to get back into training.

“I didn’t take the antibiotic enough. The medicine given me in Brazil wasn’t good,” said Nogueira. “Now Dana White send me (to) a different doctor here last week. I’ll be on treatment for six weeks with antibiotics.”

The staph infection was the fourth that he has encountered over the last year and his bout with Cain Velasquez was scrapped and replaced by the Rashad Evans vs Thiago Silva light heavyweight bout as the main event and Minotauro adds that had he decided to stay on the schedule to compete that he would not have any or little preparation time for the undefeated heavyweight contender.

“If I (had accepted) the match for (UFC 108), I would have just 18 days for training. It’s not enough,” Nogueira stated.

However, should everything go well in his recovery process the future MMA Hall of Famer boasts that he would like to fight as soon as the February 21, UFC 110 card in Australia and would still like to take on Velasquez if possible.

“In February I’ll be ready to fight when they ask me to fight. In February I think I’ll be in shape. I’d love to fight in Australia. If they put me on the card, I would love to fight there,” he said.

“I’m not the type of guy that’s gonna give up some challenge. That’s a good challenge, young guy, strong, push… I push too. I’d love to have the match.”

Nogueira is right back in the heavyweight title picture and a win over Cain Velasquez or Shane Carwin would put the former PRIDE star back in line for another championship bout in his storied career, so who do you think Minotauro Nogueira should face upon his Octagon return?

 Nelson Rodriguez AKA: Nelo2.0 is the Co - Owner of URDirt.com who is also an Editor and Author on the site. Read more from this author

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