There's no easy way to say it: Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira got his ass kicked by Frank Mir.The 32-year-old Brazilian did not look like the fighter that, save for one Russian, lorded over one of the best collections of heavyweight talent in history at Pride Fighting Championships, nor the man who came from behind to win the UFC interim heavyweight championship last year. He looked sluggish, out of step, and sadly, old.
But there was a reason for it, says UFC president Dana White.
White maintains the former champ was suffering from a serious case of staph infection going into the Dec. 27 bout.
"I think Nog had staph real bad like six days before that fight," White told reporters on Thursday.
Though he didn't have blood tests to prove his theory, his eyes gave him all the evidence he needed.
"He had these things all over his body," continued White. "I can't explain what they looked like."
Since the fight, Nogueira has remained silent on the circumstances leading up to the fight. Last month, he underwent knee surgery to repair an injury that also hampered his preparation for Mir, according to trainers.
Last week, Nogueira accepted his first bout since the loss, a meeting with former heavyweight champ Randy Couture at UFC 101 in August. Sources say he will do most of his preparation for the fight in Los Angeles.
(Watch the UFC 96 pre-fight press conference.)
12 comments:
I think you mean "staph." (As in staphylococcus aureus.)
this just shows how much of a fighter nogueria is in spirit. staph infection leaves many fighters off training for weeks minimum. that is a serious situation. for him to even consider getting in the octagon and fighting within week of fighting off a staph infection makes him a champion within himself. many people get caught up in the fact that nog looked bad. no nog looked good considering the circumstances. peoples health are more important than a piece of leather wrapped around their waist.
"I think you mean "staph." (As in staphylococcus aureus.)"
They spell it correctly in the body of the article.
All I could think of was... "He had people working for him??"
Too bad it wasn't the same staff working with GSP. They would have greased his way to victory.
Dude that is frikkin' irresponsible.. what if he'd spread it to Mir? I may not be an expert on those things, but isn't it potentially life-threatening. This may be an "honorable move" but it's also a dick move on his part.. Nogueira should receive a huge fine for endangering the health of another fighter.
it can be life threatening if not treated, but most are cured with antibiotics... i'm pretty sure the doctors cleared him to fight before.... so he was probably cleared before he fought
Yeah bad on the nevada state athletic commision for allowing thew fight to happen. Injuries are one thing but to allow someone to fight like that is irresponsible. Not bad only for mir but anywhwere Nog rolled in the dressing room, stuff he toutched etc. Staph is bad stuff and is easily contagious.
That's what I was thinking reading the headline - shouldn't Mir be mad as hell right about now, and shouldn't Dana and Nog each receive some kind of fine/suspension?
It's bad enough for the fighter to go ahead and fight with a very contagious condition, but it's worse for the promoter who seems to think he knows about it to allow the fight to go on!
Shouldn't be Nog or Dana getting fined, if anything it's on the Dr's and athletic commission who cleared him to fight. (Unless they can prove he was well aware that he had Staph and lied to Dr's about it)
Way to taint Mir's win. It seems when someone popular loses, it was never just because they got beat. Diego had staph when he fought Kos, GSP had family issues when he fought Serra...c'mon man You lost! Rory Markham had a collapsed lung and didn't want it revealed because he didn't want to take away from Dan Hardy's win, now that's class.
shock5
Nog isn't talking about Staph. Dana is. Doesn't sound like Nog is trying to taint Mir's win. Dana is just trying to say Nog/Couture will be a good fight so don't judge Nog totally by the Mir fight.
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