Pequeno Nogueira WEC debut against Jose Aldo set for June 1

by Chris Cosme on Apr 1, 2008 5:23 PM EDT

Longtime Shooto 143-pound champion, Alexandra Franca "Pequeno" Noguiera (13-4-2), will make his WEC debut against Jose Aldo (9-1) at WEC 34: "Faber vs Pulver" at the Arco Arena in Sacramento, Calif., on June 1, according to Sherdog.com.

Noguiera is a submission machine with nine of his 13 wins coming by way of submission. He was previously rumored to fight Leonard Garcia to determine who would next line for a title shot after the Pulver-Faber title tilt; however, Garcia was recently arrested with possession and distribution charges stemming from a major cocaine trafficking ring in Texas.

Therefore, it appears that Aldo has been tabbed as his replacement. He also competed under the Shooto banner, as well as Pancrase and other promotions, overseas in Japan and throughout his native Brazil prior to this match up.

This will also mark the WEC debut of Aldo, who will look to spoil Nogueira's highly touted premiere.

The WEC is starting to become a big time organization in which lighter fighters can make a name for themselves. And with the biggest fight in the organization's history set for June 1 (Faber vs. Pulver), adding Nogueira to the card will only further that goal.

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i dont know anything about these 2 fighters but i must give kudos to mania for not getting caught up in all this april fools day crap. ive heard hughes vs shogun, fedor signs w/ the ufc and congress banning mma in all 50 states. as long as the rachelle leah playboy story is real im happy.

by b.w. on Apr 1, 2008 5:36 PM EDT reply actions

Hey Mania, where’s the fight predictions that you always come up with before events?

by pUniSHment on Apr 1, 2008 5:54 PM EDT reply actions

WEC is getting better all the time :)

by eliteFANofXC on Apr 1, 2008 6:09 PM EDT reply actions

Nogueira’s submissions are really good. He will make a wonderful addition to the WEC’s 145 lb division.

I dont know anything about his opponent, but Pequeno is a very good fighter and was popular in Japan. Didnt he compete at HEROES as well?

by john on Apr 1, 2008 6:15 PM EDT reply actions

Yo, I just read about what the YAMMA pit surface will be and from what I understand fighters will be fighting in a BOWL type structure. In the UFC if you get pushed against the cage, you are stuck. Supposedly on this surface when you get pushed to the wall, he will be pushed up, so one fighter can be more elevated than the other at certain times, which gives leverage advantages to certain opponents.

I haven’t seen any pictures of this weirdo creation yet, I just read a description from its website, and thats the most I can make of the description.

Weird or what? this is no April Fools Joke! I could never come up with something so silly!

by john on Apr 1, 2008 6:42 PM EDT reply actions

Alexandra Franca “Pequeno” Noguiera ducked and dogged GILBERT MELENDEZ!!!!

by MEDINA on Apr 1, 2008 8:06 PM EDT reply actions

Yo, I just read about what the YAMMA pit surface will be and from what I understand fighters will be fighting in a BOWL type structure. In the UFC if you get pushed against the cage, you are stuck. Supposedly on this surface when you get pushed to the wall, he will be pushed up, so one fighter can be more elevated than the other at certain times, which gives leverage advantages to certain opponents.

I haven’t seen any pictures of this weirdo creation yet, I just read a description from its website, and thats the most I can make of the description.

Weird or what? this is no April Fools Joke! I could never come up with something so silly!

I wonder if it’s like the ring in the WEC? It’s got no ropes or a cage and just has upslopes around the edges. But, with a ring like that they only have striking, and no grappling/ground fighting.

by Toms Bombs on Apr 1, 2008 8:44 PM EDT reply actions

you mean like in the WCL?

by JP on Apr 1, 2008 9:07 PM EDT reply actions

That’s great that he’s finally under the same umbrella as his big brother: “Grande” Nogueira, or Big Nog as we call him.

The Nog Brothers just may soon take over the world at their weight classes… just waiting for Lil Nog to get his ass ova’ here. LOL He’d be great at 205 in the WEC to avoid confusion with his twin in the UFC.

by hbdale309 on Apr 2, 2008 6:45 AM EDT reply actions