UFC 134 Fight Card: Brendan Schaub an American Bullfighter in Rio

Brendan Schaub brings bullfighting to Rio today when the young prospect faces off against Antonio “Minotauro” Nogueira in the celebrated fighter’s home country of Brazil. 

Can the 28-year-old Schaub slay the bull?  He thinks so, saying in an interview for the UFC, “[Minotauro]’s gonna get knocked out, and I’m going to leave Brazil.”

Minotauro has other plans. 

Nogueira wants to run this kid down, pin him against the cage, and gore him in the clench until he can take the less-seasoned Schaub to the ground, where the Brazilian’s experience and keen ground-fighting instincts give him a tangible edge.

Unfortunately for the fans in Rio, Schaub is going to prove too much for the weathered Nogueira tonight.

His speed and agility will keep him picking away at Nogueira from a distance for most of the fight. We can expect Nogueira to land less than 25 strikes over the entire 15 minutes of combat.

For those same reasons, he’s not taking Schaub down, either.

If Nog can’t cut off the ring and corner Schaub, he’s going to be swinging at air all night as Schaub baits Minotauro into a series of exhaustive passes, which, over the course of three rounds, will wear Nogueira down, leaving him open for the big shot.

Furthermore, we have seen Minotauro at his best; however, that is over now. He’s had multiple surgeries over 18 months of accumulating ring rust. 

Meanwhile, Schaub, a talented athlete, has only begun peaking physically. He’s in the period during which he will make his greatest strides in the shortest time, getting measurably better each fight.

He’s making those strides by training against the very best: rolling with Renzo Gracie, boxing with Rashad Evans, and throwing himself into the crucible of Jackson’s MMA. He even went to Brazil early to study with Gordo Correa, the pioneering Brazilian grappler credited with developing the half-guard.

While Nogueira trains at the world-renowned Black House with strikers far superior to the young Schaub, his up-and-down record over the last three years might suggest the need for a change of scenery. 

Bottom line: Schaub will exhaust the bull, delivering the estocada late in the second or early in the third round.