Couture vs. Nogueira still a possibility?
Posted by Marc Staehling on July 22nd, 2008
“The fight contract is up today…July 19th according to the contract. That was 18 months or four fights.That’s the way the contract is written, by the language that I’ve read in the contract that my attornies explained to me. That’s the rub. They say I owe them two more fights. And, we need the State to settle the dispute and give us a declaration as to what they say the contract says. I either owe them two more fights and I’ll fight Nogueira or find a way hopefully for the UFC to make the Fedor fight happen, that’s what means most to me. Or retire if that’s the case…I don’t know what’s going to happen there. Or they’ll say no, the contract term ended, you’re free and clear to go and fight wherever you want.” - Fox Sports’ Alex Marvez got a one-on-one with Randy post-Affliction.
Randy does go on to say that whoever loses the decision might take it to the Supreme Court, but this has to be seen as a positive step as far as this whole debacle is concerned. I for one think ‘Minotauro vs. ‘The Natural’ is just as compelling a match-up as the Emelianenko fight. Couture’s “Fedor-only” approach is a bit of a slight to a guy with a resume like Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira.
Despite coaching on The Ultimate Fighter against the presumed contender Frank Mir, one can only think that the UFC would jump at a Couture-Nogueira unification match, putting the Mir fight on the backburner. No matter what happens in the legal arena, fans and media alike deserve to see Randy Couture fighting again in the near future. *fingers crossed*
July 22nd, 2008 at 12:26 pm
No way is the Nog-Couture fight remotely as compelling as Randy-Fedor.
Also, it is hilarious to see that Randy was just as intimidated by the Fedor he saw at Affliction as everyone else in the world.
July 23rd, 2008 at 4:59 pm
Actually, I think Couture/Nogueira is even more compelling…because looking Fedor/Couture objectively…it’s a mis-match.
July 24th, 2008 at 2:38 pm
I always believed Couture should have gone through Nog before Fedor. Honestly I think Nog would have a damn good chance of submitting the Natural.
July 25th, 2008 at 1:56 pm
Kelvin Hunt, I think the Nog fight is less compelling. I agree that it is probably more competitive though. Both beat Randy though.