UFC 110: Cain Velasquez preparing 'for an all-out war' against Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
by MMAmania.com on Jan 26, 2010 8:21 PM EST
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Props: The Sydney Morning Herald
Quoteworthy:
"I am preparing for an all-out war on February 21 in Sydney. My opponent Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira is an incredible boxer, incredible with jiu-jitsu, so I can't really take the fight anywhere and expect it to be easy. I expect a war the whole time. I have been training with a lot more guys who specialise in jiu-jitsu to get ready for Nogueira, but other than that my training regime has been the same as usual - between two and three sessions a day. This could be the best fight of my career. When I look back on my fights in the UFC, I don't really have a favorite yet, but definitely the one that stands out most is my battle with Cheick Kongo at UFC 99. I went through some adversity in that fight, but I wouldn't just fall over and crumble. I got hit and I came back on top and won the fight pretty easily. I surprised myself a little bit, I was willing to take his punches and then give back what I had. I think a lot of guys would have fallen. To take that kind of hit and then capitalize, it was great, but while I was really pleased with my toughness, I was not happy with the technical side of things, getting caught like that."
Undefeated heavyweight standout Cain Velasquez talks about how overcoming adversity in his last fight against Cheick Kongo -- where he was rocked bad at least twice -- will help him when he steps inside the Octagon against former UFC interim and Pride FC heavyweight champion, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. Velasquez and Nogueira will headline the promotion's first-ever event in Australia, UFC 110, at the Acer Arena in Sydney on Feb. 21. The winner will likely set himself up for an eventual title shot later in 2010. So is Velasquez ready to rumble with the big cats or will the accomplished former champion send him to the back of the contender line with his dangerous mix of submissions and strikes?
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Pillow pride will lose
Those pillows wont hurt Nog at all, Pillows will get submitted.
by Lester The Pimp on Jan 26, 2010 8:29 PM EST reply actions
" I have been training with a lot more guys who specialise in jiu-jitsu"
Like Herschel Walker.
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. Kyaaaaah boiiii!
worbanizer
by daniel worby on Jan 26, 2010 10:24 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
What HW BJJ Guys are out there, that hit like Nog, and are as good as Nog in BJJ...
for mma. Nog is is what BJJ in mma should be. You can’t train for a guy like Nog, because there is nobody with his skill level at his weight! Then there is the experience factor. Nog has been in more wars and fights against the biggest and best mma has to offer vs. beating Kongo being the highlight of your career. The other big factor is Nog very rarely misses the opportunity to finish a fight. He will not get the breaks that Kongo gave him…Cain will be a factor in years to come but he just doesn’t have it yet!
Fedor
I’m looking forward to this fight, should tell us a lot about where both fighters are at. I’m interested to see how Cain deals with a world class BJJ fighter like Nog, I don’t know how good he is at neutralising ground specialists from top so it’ll be interesting to see how the grappling exchanges pan out. Nog has struggled against fighters that can keep him down and pound on him whilst avoiding his submissions, that’s how Fedor beat him and Ricco almost beat him in their fight. However, Cain hasn’t had his BJJ tested as none of his past opponents have done anything off their back other than try to get back up, so he could easily got caught if it goes to the ground.
As for the striking Nog’s defence and reflexes have been poor lately but he has a legendary chin and when fully fit has taken strikes from the best. Cain has decent striking but lacks power and was exposed in the brief standing exchanges with Kongo.
Cain won’t be able to finish Nog but he could grind out a decision win, it all depends on whether Nog can land the fight ending punch or catch him in a submission. It all depends on what Nog’s boxing defence is like and whether Cain can keep Nog on his back and neutralise his BJJ skills. Both guys are top HWs and the winner would be a much more worthy contender to Brock than Mir or Carwin.
"If I could change my name what would it be? Jesus"
Tito Ortiz (seriously...)
But do you think Jackson brings in Fedor to train with Cain?
I personally don’t think that Cain has the skill set that Fedor(that one is obvious) or an in his prime Ricco had, yet! While I think Cain will be a factor in years to come, just not yet. Ricco was in the ring with some of the best of his day Couture, Nog, Arlovski, Munson, and Sylvia, while fairing well in all the fights. I don’t know that Cain is on that level yet. That is the only thing that makes me second guess Cain’s chances in this fight, well that and I am a huge Big Nog fan =)
I know that he doesn't train with Fedor, but he's the only HW with BJJ and striking as good as Nog
I don’t know if Cain is ready to beat a guy as good as Nog yet, it all depends on how much he has worked on his BJJ and striking defence. I think that this will be a very tough fight for Nog and Cain’s going to push him but there is a good chance of Nog winning by capitalising on a Cain mistake.
Ricco was great back in the day and looked superb against Nog and was unlucky not to pull off a huge upset. I still think that that is the way for Cain to beat Nog as his wrestling and control on top is much better than his striking, it all depends on how good his BJJ is.
"If I could change my name what would it be? Jesus"
Tito Ortiz (seriously...)
Dave hope you don't think I was taking a swing at your mma knowledge...
I know you always make super educated posts and make great analysis’s(sp) and educated opinions based on skill/background/experience and not on who you like and don’t like… I know that you know Cain doesn’t train with Fedor =) I just was saying in general. Probably wouldn’t be a bad idea to see if Fedor would come over, lol! I wonder what the cost of a Fedor camp costs with Vladim’s marketing!
Cain is young, but......
I have a feeling that not only will Cain win this fight, he will win it in dominant fashion. Of course i could be wrong, but the only way Nog can win is by catching Cain in a submission. Looking at how this fight will go, i think we can all agree that the majority, if not the entire fight will be on the ground. Cain is going to take him down, and there’s nothing he can do to stop that. Of course Nog is comfortable there, as he’s shown he has the best BJJ skills in the division. This will be a great opportunity for Cain to display his ability to avoid submissions, and I think he will excel at this, even though he hasn’t had a chance to display this skillset. Combine that with the fact that he has one of the most vicious GNP’s in the division, and you have all the makings of a unanimous decision, or a referee stoppage. Bottom line, either Nog submits Cain, or Cain dominates him for 3 rounds. I also think it’s fair to say that Cain is not a HW version of Clay Guida….he’s not a dry humper, as he’s constantly trying to improve his position, and dish out punishment. It’s going to be a great fight, and all we can do now is pray that Mazzaghatti isn’t the referee…
So far these are all the external factors affecting this fight.....
Don’t know if you guys heard yet but Nog’s MT Luiz Alves coach had a stroke, (no new updates on his condition yet). This is not good news for his camp especially this close to his fight – Luiz is probly on of his closest friends and has been with Nog since 2000 a little ways after he started his MMA career. I hope that he recovers and that this thing only strengthens Big Nog as he always performs best as an underdog. Also there is big potential for Nog to cross train with Werdum. Werdum has been tryin to reach out to them. Only that kind of high level BJJ can sharpen Big Nog’s mat skills as i imagine he tools everyone at black house. Also this would pan out great for JDS since he could gain good knowledge on GG. So some positive and a big negative. Anyways, WAR NOG!!!
by NNR (formerly NameNotRequired) on Jan 27, 2010 8:18 AM EST up reply actions
What HW BJJ Guys are out there, that hit like Nog, and are as good as Nog in BJJ...?
I would recommend training with Werdum on the ground and then probably a LHW boxer-style fighter cuz Nog is rather small for a HW and he still moves around pretty good when healthy. Perhaps train with Vitor Belfort for Nog’s standup, but he is a little small though, not LHW. I’m trying to think of who has the best boxing skills in the LHW division. "Possibly’ Rampage but his boxing style is not like Nog’s at all.
I AM SOMETIMES BIASED - Get over it!!!!!!!
Cain is out gunned EVERYWHERE in this fight except athleticism
He wont beat Nog standing, and he had better not take the fight to the ground…Most of you guys seem to think Nog is capable o submitting Cain off his back and I agree,…but thats not Cains only problem on the ground. No one ever talks about how good Nog is at sweeping his opponents from bottom and ending up on top. Couture wrote the book on controling guys on the ground, and nog flipped him over and landed in mount as if Randy were a child. Like Randy, Cain isnt that Big of a HW, so I coud see Nog giving him fits on the ground, even if he doesnt secure the submission….Cain cant be very experienced in fighting off his back, since I doubt he trains with people that can take him down consistantly….When Nog sweeps him and acheives top position, Cain will be in a world of trouble!
I know my oppinion doesnt count for anything around here, and you guys will probably flame me for it, but I honestly believe that TODAY, Nogueira is the best HW in the UFC! Bring on Brock, Carwin, Cain….get your biggest and baddest wrestler and watch Rodrigo toy with them on the ground!
Pillows in action...lol
"Champions are not made in the gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them - a desire, a dream, a vision." -Muhammad Ali
Let me say this. Cain is a tough and talented kid. he is a legit beast and will be a HW threat for years to come. However…. Cain is a small “er” Heavyweight and Nog isnt much bigger however his BJJ game is as big as it gets. And Cain is a dominant wrestler for sure but Cains gameplan better include defense against Nog pulling guard and if he does decide to gamble and take Nog down he better be practicing his sweep defense.
this is how i see it
standing nog by Tko or ko
on the ground nog by sub
cain really has not shown impressive stand up imo and i really don’t think it’d be smart for him to take this one to the ground
i just don’t see cain having a chance here , IMO though if he does take this one it will prove he belongs in the top of the heap of the HW division
we better not let nog do what he wants the way he let kongo.
Kongo had him beat but couldnt finish him, if nog gets him rocked he will finish. The last line here says it all:
“I was not happy with the technical side of things, getting caught like that.”
He better be improved if he expects to get past nog. Kongo’s a beast but having a good chin and heart isnt going to get you past big nog. He better hope he has improved that “technical side”
I do agree Cain is a top HW and will be at the top for a long time to come but he’s not getting past Nog with a simular performance to the one at ufc 99.
"When they took away headbutts, I had to learn some skills." Mark Coleman
can't wait for this card
some tough fights to call thats for sure. Ive been back and forth on this one but i now want Nog to win so we can see rematch with Mir and a fight with Brock.
WANDY RIP Bispings going to toy with you then destroy you
cain vs carwin for the ufc largest head championship..with guest referee tito.
but seriously.. cain is very skilled..just dont think he is ready for the cream of the crop..and I havent been pumped for any Cain fight besides this one..just because Id like to see nog dominate and get a shot at the title if he lands these next two wins..and the potential for a mir rematch is very exciting.
When I die, I want to go peacefully like my Grandfather did, in his sleep -- not screaming, like the passengers in his car.
Old to New . . .
It is going to be an absolute privilege to watch Big Nog fight. It is going to be even more special because he is fighting one of the future legends of the sport. Can not wait to see this one live.
I don’t rate Cain as one of the top 5 HW’s at the moment, but this is a fight he can win. I’d rather see Nog pull it out, because I’d like to see him face Lesnar, but Cain has a very real chance at winning this just by outworking him and being a younger gun.
Nog has solid boxing, but I don’t see him beating up Cain on his feet. He might have the edge in scoring, but Cain is going to get the takedowns. For some reason, I see Cain being able to avoid a sub, and if he does he could well win the fight on points.
I’d still say Nog’s a favorite but not by much. That said, I’d love to see Nog surprise me and put him away with ease. But I wouldn’t bet on that by any stretch.
The problem with Cain is that he is not a good match for Lesnar should he win. Against Lesnar you need to be able to hurt him in the stand-up and not be taken down at will. Carwin is much better suited for that because he is near Lesnar’s size, can definitely wrestle, and has one punch knock-out power. Cain’s a very good wrestler, but he’s too small for Brock for that to be any kind of advantage. And his stand-up isn’t much of a threat. Junior Dos Santos would be a better challeger because at least he has serious chops on his feet. And I’m sure he’s not too shabby on the ground if he trains with the brothers Nog.
The next best challengers for Brock are the guys with serious sub skills: Nog and Mir. But Lesnar seems to have shored up this weakness in a hurry. Mir looked helpless on the gound in their last fight. Perhaps Nog would fare better, but Lensnar is a monster of a dude to have on top of you blasting away while you look for a sub. Nog and Mir (who has improved greatly in this area) have solid stand-up skills, but you gotta be able to hurt Brock fast before he takes you down, so I consider them less likely than someone like Carwin to pull off a W against him.
Lesnar’s top 6 challengers in the UFC, IMO:
1. Carwin
2. Dos Santos
3. Big Nog
4. Mir
5. Gonzaga
6. Cain
I like the Gonzaga call!....
I was saying that to my friend the other day. He is not a champion fighter(he has only lost to top 10 fighters) but his style would be a great match up for Brock. He one puch and kick KO power (some of the best if not the best Muay Thai in the HW div), he has serious bjj skills, good takedown defense, and is a little bigger(6’2" but he is 260#) then most of the HW div. Gonzaga could easily hurt Brock on his feet and I think he has the size and long enough limbs to pull off a sub if it goes to the ground.
That’s not my top 6 in the division, just the top six guys most likely to beat Lesnar. Being able to get past Nog and Brock are two different things Just like Mir might beat Carwin, but I still think Carwin has the best game to challenge Brock.
In a straight up ranking I would rank Cain higher than Gonzaga and Carwin and Dos Santos a little lower. If Cain beats Nog it doesn’t change much, but I will consider him slightly more of a threat, depending on how he does it.
Dos Santos is an awesome prospect. I’d put hime currently at #4, and if he beats Gonzaga convincingly then I’d consider moving him as high as #2 depending on how the other contenders fair in their fights
Right now tho, it’s:
1. Lesnar
2. Mir (last four fights: W- Kongo, L-Lesnar, W- Nog, W-Lesnar)
3. Nog (W- Couture, L-Mir, W-Silvia, W-Herring)
4. JDS (W-Yvel, W-Cro Cop, W-Struve, W-Werdum)
5. Cain (W- Rothwell, W-Kongo, W-Stojnic, W-O’Brien)
6. Carwin (W-Gonzaga, W-Wain, W-Wellisch, only three fights in UFC)
As you can see, Carwin has the least number of quality opponents of the bunch. But due to his size, wrestling ability and one punch KO power, I still give him the best shot of the above at unseating Lesnar. JDS I would put next.
I'm I the only one..
who thinks Nog is finished? I love him and is top 10 all time, but beating a very old and slow Randy did nothing for me…I think Cain will wear Nog out and win by 3rd ko
i think hes finished. I also think its lil Nog’s time to shine.
HI YAH!
by Thats It For you! on Jan 27, 2010 9:28 AM EST up reply actions
I refuse to accept that
One more devastating loss and I’ll have no choice. But for now. I’m in total denial.
The one and only Smitty...
I agree
I’m trying not to say too much cuz i know Nog has a lot of fans here, but I couldn’t agree more. I think Cain is not only winning, but winning easily….we’ll just have to see what happens. I am not impressed with Nog, but i’m willing to eat crow if i’m wrong….looking forward to this one!
Hope Nog beats him, would love for Big Nog to face Broc eventually and take the belt.
The Nog Bros rock, both of them beasts!!
"Champions are not made in the gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them - a desire, a dream, a vision." -Muhammad Ali
But if Nog wins and takes the belt what does it say for the HW division in the UFC? That a guy not signed to them has already beaten their champ twice.
Don't think feel
by bigbadbunbun on Jan 27, 2010 11:01 AM EST up reply actions
As long as Fedor keeps being dominant the lack of his presence will always devalue the UFC HW division
"If I could change my name what would it be? Jesus"
Tito Ortiz (seriously...)
I like Cain, but
Nog is way to seasoned for Cain. Unfortunately Cain’s only way of winning is by a 3 round-UD, but that means laying in Nogs gaurd for 15 minutes without getting subb’ed. I really don’t think Cain’s sub defense is up to par with someone who’s Jiu-Jitsu is world class. Nog by sub.
WAR NOG
Greasy St.Pierre is a cheater.
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