UFC Quick Quote: Luis Cane doesn't really want to fight Rogerio Nogueira on Nov. 21

by MMAmania.com on Sep 18, 2009 9:06 PM EDT

"That was the last fight we wanted. When Joe (Silva) offered it to us, I asked to put his against any other American -- Forrest, Rashad, Rampage -- but they said you have to fight whoever they put in front of you. Rogério is my friend, "Banha" is his fan ... [he] likes him a lot, we didn’t want this fight ... and this fight will be dramatic, really tough.... The only thing that cheers me on that is that, if "Banha" passes through Rogério, he’ll have possibilities to fight fort he title on a close future."

-- Alex Davis, the manager for surging light heavyweight, Luis "Banha" Cane, laments to Tatame.com about his fighter being paired up opposite Antonio Rogerio "Minotouro" Noguiera at UFC 106 on Nov. 21. As he points out, the Brazilians have somewhat of a history together, as well as a long-standing mutual respect. But UFC executives, including the top man in charge, Lorenzo Fertitta, have recently been vocal about their policy that fighters will have to fight who they want them to fight ... regardless of friendship or personal preferences. Does this put Rashad Evans (who is adamant that he will never again fight Keith Jardine) or Anderson Silva (who vows to never get inside the Octagon opposite Lyoto Machida) or Jon Fitch (who claims he won't take on Josh Koscheck or Mike Swick) on notice? Do these fighters need to put everything aside ... especially if title implications are on the line?

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Silva, Fitch and Rashad have alot more pull than Cane. WTF would the UFC do if Silva refused to fight someone? Not a dam thing, just find him someone else.

by IrishMike on Sep 18, 2009 11:32 PM EDT reply actions

These fighters need to fight whatever opponent is placed in front of them. It’s all business. They don’t need to take the fact that teammates may be asked to fight one another personally. This shouldn’t be a difficult concept. It’s just a sport like tennis. Tennis training partners play each other in tourneys all the time. I guess I just don’t see what the big deal about fighting friends is…I used to fight with my friends all the time.

by RedDog on Sep 19, 2009 7:24 AM EDT up reply actions

one of the major problem is splitting trainers during training camp.

i think Lorenzo is making a big mistake. there will be resentment amongst fighters….and this IMO will be dangerous for the UFC organization and i believe they are being extremely short-sighted about this. i wouldnt be surprised if great fighters are lost just because of this.

and it is NOT like Tennis. there is Always more emotion involved in punching your friend in the face and he gets cut up and bleeds or goes unconscious…there is real physical damage and danger. i think it can affect teamwork within the camp easily and the relationship between the fighters.

we could lose great fighters.

by ABCD on Sep 19, 2009 8:45 AM EDT up reply actions

i am getting so sick of this crap!! if you are a fighter, then fight whomever they ask you too. its a sport… football players and hockey players have to play against their friends or exteammates, you think they dont hit them as hard when they get a chance? of course they still hit hard, play hard, and try everything possible to win. get over it, if you are really friends, then you will still be friends after the fight!!!

by ---Caesar--- on Sep 19, 2009 10:02 AM EDT up reply actions

It’s not a problem at all, nobody is your friend! they are supposed to be proffessionals at what they do, if they can’t get down to business they should be kicked out!.. that’s what Rampage did when Tito was doing his thing in the UFC

by RoBerto on Sep 19, 2009 10:17 AM EDT up reply actions

ABCD, there’s more emotion in punching ANYONE in the face, friend or no friend! These guys are fighters. Punching people in the face is what they chose to do. My point with the tennis example is that no one has any choice who they go against if they want to be number one…it should be the same with fighting; if you want to be number one, you’re going to have to fight at times those who you are close to. They chose it. It’s a business. They are getting paid for it. They need to stop complaining about it. Do you see what I’m saying? If they don’t want to punch friends in the face, then maybe they should have been accountants or some sh_t.

by RedDog on Sep 19, 2009 1:28 PM EDT up reply actions

Props to Banha Cane and Rogerio for putting there feelings to the side and accepting this fight when you got those AKA Flamers that have only known each other for about 2 years, that refuse to fight each other.

this will be an excellent fight!

by john G on Sep 19, 2009 1:30 PM EDT up reply actions

way to set an example ufc! way to go, showing ur might and power! the nogueira’s are 2 of the most respectful and respectable people in the history of mma. hey dana, if u wanna show the public that u ‘REALLY’ do have the power of he-man, make anderson fight lyoto. no dana won’t/can’t do that. he’ll make cane and rogerio fight and then say ‘see, i told u we would make friends/training partners fight, i told u fighters would do what ufc wanted them to do’, that’s a farce, whatever it takes to save face dana. it’s easy to do when it’s an up and comer vs. a first time ufc fighter. let’s see those big brass balls and give us spider vs. dragon

by deuce 4 on Sep 19, 2009 10:54 AM EDT up reply actions

rashad did refuse the couture fight right? before they made up vera couture
if I understand the rules correctly a fighter is proposed a fight and agrees to it OR NOT, only then he gets sent a contract to sign and make it official
basically the third world guys are getting shanghai’d
sorry for the english

by ballagaye2 on Sep 19, 2009 12:42 AM EDT reply actions

Sucks ballz they should have Cain fight someone else JArdine/Thiago/Forrest/Rashad/Jones/Bonner/Polish experiment all are available or will be real soon i see no reason for them to put them against each other right now if they dont want to fight….You are basically going to get a fight that wont tell you who is the better fighter at all because they are not fighting at 100%(close to it as can be).

Make them fight later when paths have to cross, assuming they ever do.

by Khaos_Warrior on Sep 19, 2009 1:01 AM EDT reply actions

do what Rampage did and take off and do something (like a movie) to avoid a fight. it’s ok per Dana White.

by real mma on Sep 19, 2009 1:21 AM EDT reply actions

It is about time. They put fighters on notice. This is business. I have done business with and against my friends, but we are still friends at the end of the day. Athletes in all other sports play against each other, why would they in mma!
Fitch doesn’t get that much love from the brass. He was already dismissed once and it seems like he is always in some bs with them.

by Da Monkey on Sep 19, 2009 1:24 AM EDT reply actions

i hope banha doesn’t hold back, and fights to his true potential.

if so, he could definitely give lil nog a run..

if both fighters come in top shape, this should be one of the best fights this year..

war banha!~

by stinky~fingers on Sep 19, 2009 1:41 AM EDT reply actions

Cane by TKO round 1.

Oh and IrishMike, Fitch has 0 pull in the UFC.

by Skope on Sep 19, 2009 1:58 AM EDT reply actions

I was going to say the exact same thing but you said it for me.

by RedDog on Sep 19, 2009 7:25 AM EDT up reply actions

Let’s see minotauro’s carbon copy in action against Banha. Lil NOg could submit Banha, but Banha’s sub-D could spell the difference and we could see this 2 slug it out on the feet.

by Syd on Sep 19, 2009 1:59 AM EDT reply actions

tough shit. there not even teamates. what kind of mess would mma be in if americans never wanted to fight other americans. it’s called being a PROFESSIONAL. hell, the lauzon bros said they would fight each other, if they had to, since they beat the shit out of eah other in practice all the time, they might as well get paid for it. now thats being a pro. chutebox vs btt used to be one of the bigggest rivalries in pride and in mma. now that there in the ufc, they want to pull the nationalism/friendship card. B.S.

by j.b. on Sep 19, 2009 2:33 AM EDT reply actions

hell yeah j.b! i agree all the way. just scrap.

by omoplato on Sep 19, 2009 3:47 AM EDT reply actions

“Do these fighters need to put everything aside … especially if title implications are on the line?”

I think one thing to keep in mind is that most of those fighters refusing to fight each other also train together – that kind of changes things in regards to training for the fight when the guy you’re trying to beat up is right there in the facility with you. Cane and Rogerio aren’t even teammates though, so what possible, valid rationale can they have for turning down this fight?

by Jase on Sep 19, 2009 8:23 AM EDT reply actions

He doesn’t really have a good reason… mostly pure BS…

“Rogério is my friend, Banha is his fan… They don’t train together, but they have an old relationship with me, I was the first to put him to fight outside Brazil, already train a lot of times on ATT and he’s everyone’s friend up there. Banha likes him a lot, we didn’t want this fight”

I hope for Cane vs T.Silva one day… even if they are both from ATT.

by Alpha Male on Sep 19, 2009 11:27 AM EDT up reply actions

I have sympathy for not wanting to fight long time training partners, but not for “guys from my country that I like watching.”. That eliminates half the fighting population.

by RedRavi7 on Sep 19, 2009 8:46 AM EDT reply actions

all of these Brazilian fighter always get there panties in a bunch when they have to fight one another this is some buull shit i dont see any american fighter not want to fight each other

by alan on Sep 19, 2009 9:19 AM EDT reply actions