Brendan Schaub is eager for his chance to fight a legend and to do so in MMA's birthplace in Brazil.
I'm walking like Frankenstein right now, but somehow I still manage to crack a wide grin on a daily basis. It is a smile of both satisfaction and amazement.
I am satisfied because I know I am working hard in the gym -- my battered body is a testament to this -- and I am also amazed by the opportunity that will soon be presented to me. If you didn't already know, on August 27 at UFC 134, I will touch the gloves of Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira in his homeland of Brazil.
Given the size of the task at hand, I've made sure I've trained better than ever before and have left no stone unturned. I started training in Denver for this fight, but on Sunday night I flew out to Albuquerque, N.M., to train at Greg Jackson's gym.
I come out here every other week during my camp and it's a truly great experience for any mixed martial artist. You are training and rubbing shoulders with some of the best guys in the world on a daily basis and that can only help develop your own game. I know it has done me the world of good ahead of this fight.
I'm in the midst of a 12-week camp right now and my body is all beat up and worn down but you still have to continue on regardless. By this stage, you know what it takes to get ready for a fight, and that all of the morning aches and pains are a necessary evil. The hardest part is trying to maintain a high quality of work while feeling the impact of a hard training camp.
If I'm ever hobbling like Frankenstein or feeling sorry for myself, I just take a moment to recollect and remember what a great journey I'm currently embarking on. Later this month I will travel out to Brazil, the home of Brazilian jiu-jitsu, to fight Nogueira, a true pioneer of the sport and one of my own personal role models. Millions of other aspiring mixed martial arts would sacrifice a limb to be in the position I find myself in. You'd have to be an idiot to complain.
Whenever you get into any sport, the intention is to become the best possible competitor you can be and to also surpass your role models along the way. Those guys raise the bar for us newcomers and it is our job to keep on raising it when their time is up. If you get into basketball, you want to be better than Michael Jordan. It may never happen, but, by setting that goal, I guarantee you'll get the most out of your potential along the way.
I have always loved the idea of fighting a legend like Nogueira. Just to share a ring with him is an honour in itself, but to be given the chance to defeat and stop him is something that would be even more special. I couldn't be more thankful to receive the opportunity to add Nogueira's name to my list of beaten opponents.
This is a monumental moment for not only myself, but also the MMA population of Brazil, who will be out in force to welcome the UFC back to its shores on August 27. To be honest, the lure of fighting in Brazil was just as enticing for me as the prospect of facing Nogueira. I couldn't think of many better crowds to perform in front of.
Of course, given that I'm facing a legendary Brazilian like Nogueira, I've got a pretty good idea of what kind of reception I'll be set to receive on August 27. It won't be pretty, that's for sure. The Brazilians will let it be known that they're backing their guy for victory, and I'll probably have to face some of the abuse that comes as a result of that.
Saying that, though, I have nothing but respect for the culture and fans of Brazil, and I'm sure they will respect me, before, during and after the fight. Brazilian fans are incredibly knowledgeable when it comes to mixed martial arts, and they will have seen what I can do in the past and will know that I am a good match for Nogueira. I will then be intent on proving that in the Octagon.
Ultimately, I've always believed that the best way to win an enemy's respect is to show dominance and superiority in the arena we perform in. I have no doubt that once I stop Nogueira in Brazil, the fans will stop the boos, rise to their feet and clap with respect. That's what makes this sport and its fans the best in the world...
Follow me on Twitter @BrendanSchaub.
Brendan Schaub takes on Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at UFC 134 on Saturday, Aug. 27 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He is blogging exclusively for sportsnet.ca on a weekly basis ahead of his fight.
UFC 134 will be shown live on pay-per-view at 6 p.m. PT / 9 p.m. ET. Watch live preliminary fights on Sportsnet starting at 5 p.m. PT / 8 p.m. ET.