Matyushenko-Nogueira Rematch Likely at Oct. 11 Affliction
Brian Knapp Aug 4, 2008
International Fight League light heavyweight champion Vladimir
Matyushenko (Pictures) will likely meet Pride Fighting
Championships veteran Antonio
Rogerio Nogueira (Pictures) at Affliction “Day of Reckoning”
on Oct. 11 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.
Sources close to the promotion confirmed the fight has been offered to both parties, though Matyushenko’s management declined to comment on the proposed matchup.
Matyushenko (21-3) defeated Nogueira (14-3) by unanimous decision at a Universal Fighting-Arts Organization event in Japan back in 2002. Having dominated competition inside the IFL, Matyushenko will carry an eight-fight winning streak into his next match. The 37-year-old Belarusian has not competed since he stopped Jamal Patterson (Pictures) on strikes in April. He has been finished only once -- by former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski (Pictures) at UFC 44 -- in his career and holds other notable victories against Yuki Kondo (Pictures), Pedro Rizzo (Pictures) and Travis Wiuff (Pictures).
Nogueira -- the twin brother of interim UFC heavyweight titleholder Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (Pictures) -- has won back-to-back bouts since his stunning knockout loss to Team Quest’s Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (Pictures) at Pride 33 in February 2007. The 32-year-old Brazilian counts wins over two-time Olympian Dan Henderson (Pictures), Japanese legend Kazushi Sakuraba (Pictures) and reigning Strikeforce heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem (Pictures) among his conquests. He last competed at Affliction “Banned” on July 19, when he stopped UFC veteran Edwin Dewees (Pictures) on strikes inside one round.
Sources close to the promotion confirmed the fight has been offered to both parties, though Matyushenko’s management declined to comment on the proposed matchup.
Matyushenko (21-3) defeated Nogueira (14-3) by unanimous decision at a Universal Fighting-Arts Organization event in Japan back in 2002. Having dominated competition inside the IFL, Matyushenko will carry an eight-fight winning streak into his next match. The 37-year-old Belarusian has not competed since he stopped Jamal Patterson (Pictures) on strikes in April. He has been finished only once -- by former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski (Pictures) at UFC 44 -- in his career and holds other notable victories against Yuki Kondo (Pictures), Pedro Rizzo (Pictures) and Travis Wiuff (Pictures).
Nogueira -- the twin brother of interim UFC heavyweight titleholder Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (Pictures) -- has won back-to-back bouts since his stunning knockout loss to Team Quest’s Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (Pictures) at Pride 33 in February 2007. The 32-year-old Brazilian counts wins over two-time Olympian Dan Henderson (Pictures), Japanese legend Kazushi Sakuraba (Pictures) and reigning Strikeforce heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem (Pictures) among his conquests. He last competed at Affliction “Banned” on July 19, when he stopped UFC veteran Edwin Dewees (Pictures) on strikes inside one round.
Related Articles
