"Little Nog" is coming to the UFC's 205-pound division, not fighting at Bitetti Combat
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The UFC will soon have a notable addition to its light-heavyweight division, according to former UFC interim heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira.
During a media conference call to promote his upcoming UFC 102 main-event fight with Randy Couture, "Minotauro" Nogueira said his twin brother, Antonio Rogerio "Minotoro" Nogueira, will soon be announced as a UFC fighter.
Additionally, a source close to the fighter today told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) "Little Nog" has been scratched from a Sept. 12 Bitetti Combat show, where he was slated to fight Alex Stiebling.
The UFC has yet to make an official announcement, and Tom Huggins of Bitetti Combat informed MMAjunkie.com that he was unaware of Nogueira's intentions to withdraw from the contest. Huggins also said that the Sept. 12 event will go on as planned regardless of the light heavyweight's ultimate decision.
"Minotoro" Nogueira, a former PRIDE and Affliction fighter, owns a 17-3 career record and current five-fight win streak.
"He's coming to the UFC very soon," "Minotauro" said of his brother. "They (UFC officials) are going to announce that. I don't know when. They've already talked to him, so for sure he's coming to the UFC.
"You're going to hear that."
Nogueira, who submitted Dion Staring at a May Jungle Fight event in Brazil, was recently announced as a participant in next month's Bitetti Combat show. However, it's not known if his departure from the card is directly related to the UFC deal.
"Minotoro," 33, turned pro in 2002 and is widely regarded as one of the top 10 or 15 fighters in the light-heavyweight division. His career includes victories over notables such as Alistair Overeem (twice), Dan Henderson, Guy Mezger and Kazushi Sakuraba.
