BY MIKE JOHNSTON
SPORTSNET.CA
There are few things separating the Nogueira brothers. One is a few minutes older than the other, they fight in different weight divisions, and several letters in their middle names are different. Other than that, it is an onerous task differentiating between the two. Even their nicknames are the same (save for the spelling of one syllable).
However, at UFC 140 in Toronto on Dec. 10 at the Air Canada Centre, fans in attendance and watching on TV will be able to tell the two apart.
Antonio Rodrigo (Minotauro) Nogueira fights former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir in the co-main event, while his identical twin brother Antonio Rogerio (Minotouro) Nogueira takes on former UFC light-heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz.
Watch a UFC 140 preview show starting at 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT followed by four live preliminary fights starting at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT on Sportsnet on Saturday, Dec. 10.
Saturday’s event will mark the first time in over five years that the brothers have competed on the same card. The 35-year-old Brazilians fought at the same events when they were a part of the now-defunct Pride Fighting Championships.
“We’ve fought three times together,” Rogerio said.
“He won two and lost one, and I lost two and won one time. But, it was a very good experience.”
The last time the two fought on the same card was at Pride Critical Countdown Absolute on July 1, 2006, where both men earned victories. That night Rodrigo defeated Fabricio Werdum by unanimous decision and Rogerio beat Alistair Overeem by TKO.
Rodrigo and Rogerio are hoping for similar results come Saturday night. They say fighting on the same card is nerve-racking yet could be the extra motivation needed for a peak performance.
“That’s good motivation to have a whole family prepare for war,” said Rodrigo, the older of the two by mere minutes. “To have someone else on the same team and the same feelings, we’re going to be happy to fight on the same day.”
Rogerio, who is commonly referred to as Lil Nog because he is the slightly smaller of the two, is scheduled to fight before his brother does on Saturday. Rodrigo — or Big Nog — insists there won’t be an energy dump on his part while he cheers on his brother from the dressing room.
“I’m going to try to warm up before his fight for sure and (during Rogerio’s fight) just calm down and watch his fight,” Rodrigo said.
“I trust in him to win by knockout or submission and that’s going to be a good motivation for me.”
Rodrigo, the first ever Pride heavyweight champion, said that his confidence in Rogerio doesn’t change the fact that he will be nervous watching his brother take on Ortiz.
“It’s like I’m in two fights in the same day. But, like I said, I trust in him and he’s in really good shape right now, so we’re going to see him do a good show.”
Rogerio feels the same way when he watches Big Nog compete.
“I was very nervous when I saw his fight in Brazil (at UFC 134), his first time he fought in Brazil, I was very nervous,” Rogerio said.
Lil Nog added that he doesn’t think it will be as difficult watching his brother fight this time around, “because I’m going to fight first and if I win I think I’m going to motivate him.”
Rogerio (19-5), who is coming off back-to-back losses for the first time in his career and has been dealing with some injuries, says he is 100 per cent healthy and ready for the challenge of fighting a former UFC champion.
“I had a problem with my neck, but I have been in physical therapy for three months and now I’m okay,” Rogerio said. “I feel very good, in very good shape now.”
Rodrigo (33-6-1) is coming off a knockout win over Brendan Schaub at UFC 134 in August. Nogueira will attempt to avenge a loss from UFC 92, in a fight that saw Mir become the first man to TKO Nogueira.
Big Nog says that training with his brother has helped him prepare for his rematch with Mir.
“He’s a left hand (like Mir), so we sparred a lot,” said Rodrigo, who did some sparring for show together with his brother at Wednesday’s fighter workouts for the fans and media. “We have really tough training between me and my brother.”
UFC 140 is headlined by a light-heavyweight title fight between champion Jon Jones and challenger Lyoto Machida, who will try to recapture the belt that was once his.
Seven Canadians are scheduled to fight on the card including Thamesford, Ont.’s Mark Hominick and Winnipeg’s Krzysztof Soszynski.
