On June 2nd, 1976 was born Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira in Vitoria da Conquista, Bahia. He comes from a big family. Has the brothers Rogerio and Julio, and the sisters Jamile and Juliana. When he was 5 years old, begins his life in Martial Arts at Judo Gym. With Rogerio goes until they are 8 years old. At the age of 10, he had the most difficult combat in his life: a truck ran over him and left a broken liver, which was perforated by the broken ribs and a broken leg. "The truck come in reverse gear and threw me on the ground, passing over my body slowly. My brother Rogerio tried to pull me but he couldn't. I only had time to move my head off the wheel and felt that weight squeezing my chest." After 4 days in coma and almost one year in the hospital, the warrior was ready to face a non-planed but a lot successful future. As a doctor's advice, he restarted to play Judo.When Rodrigo was 14 years old, he moved to Salvador to study at a electronic school. He now divides his time with the studies and the training at Triathlon gym, where he started in boxing with coach of Arcelino Popo (CNB world champion). In 1995, he started to have a look at Jiu-Jitsu classes of the Dellariva Team, Guilherme Assad. He got the invitation of a friend to go in for some classes. "I was amaze for bring finished by some one who was 20kg lighters then me and decided to start at Jiu-Jitsu". Three week later, he was the champion in the White Belt and second place in the open division. He only knew how throw the opponent a few positions on the ground. He was the Brazilian Champion in 1996 (Blue Belt) and 1998 (Brown Belt). In 1999 he went to USA where was introduced to the WEF promoters Jamie Levine. He won the Panamerican Jiu-Jitsu and got the black belt. In the same year, went to Judo championships there and got the black belt as well. After his first MMA fight victory at WEF, he decided to stay there training Wrestling and Muay Thay, having more attentions to MMA. Rodrigo decided to come back to Brazil after 2 years of conquests, having his own gym in Florida and bringing 3 victories at WEF and some more at King of Kings in Japan. He comes to Brazil searching for better Jiu-Jitsu trainings at Brazilian Top Team. October 21, 2000 the fighter gets a special prize. Her daughter Tainá is born and makes the tough fighter becomes a kind and motivated father. In his career one of the best shows was at Pride 16, the most important MMA championship in Japan, where he destroyed Mark Colleman, a renamed MMA fighter. Since then, Minotauro got his place in MMA world and becomes idol for Japanese people. In Japan he is a success. Where he goes, fans of all the generations ask for autographs, take pictures give presents and love to the MMA king. Nogueira's notable victories in Pride include wins over Dan Henderson, Mark Coleman, Heath Herring, former UFC heavyweight champions Ricco Rodriguez and Josh Barnett, Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic, and Bob Sapp.At UFC Fight Night 9 which took place on April 5, 2007 Nogueira was in attendance and was sitting cage side with UFC president Dana White.It was announced at UFC 69 by Dana White that Nogueira had joined the UFC, promoted initially as simply "Minotauro" Nogueira, much like the UFC is promoting Mirko Filipovi,, as Mirko Cro Cop.His next fight was a third fight with Heath Herring at UFC 73, his UFC debut, promoted under various combinations of his name and nickname, but was officially introduced to the audience under his full name and nickname. Nogueira had beaten Herring for the first ever Pride Heavyweight Title at Pride 17 with a decisive and dominant unanimous decision, and again with an anaconda choke in second round of the Heavy Weight Grand Prix at Pride Critical Countdown 2004.Nogueira once again defeated Heath Herring via unanimous decision at his UFC debut. During the first round Nogueira was hit with a high kick that sent him to the canvas, in which unofficial judge Eddie Bravo thought the fight could have been stopped. Herring tried to finish but Nogueira was able to hold on and come back with a decision win. The desire of the champion is to have his job recognized in his own country. It would be good to know Brazil is not only the soccer country. With such amazing life story, our champion shows we should fight for our dreams even in difficult times, which were not few for him, and always achieve perfection in what we really believe. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira is an example. Congratulations Minota!
