By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief  |
"I think I?m up to the challenge [of Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira]. It doesn?t get much bigger than this. No doubt it?s the biggest fight of my life on the biggest stage. I think UFC Brazil is the biggest card of the year -- that?s why I asked to be on it. Nogueira?s regarded as one of the greatest heavyweights of all time. To fight him in his own back yard, it?s something no one?s ever done... It?s tough to get the credit I deserve... I?m earning respect as a top-10 heavyweight in the world. I see some rankings where I?m top-10, and some where I?m not. I get it; I?ve got some work to do. This fight will make a big statement... I?ve never grown so much in a camp as I have in this camp for Nogueira. Not even close. I was just a sponge. The thing I know now is that I?ve got a long way to go, man! I can get so much better, and to me that?s so cool... I think I match up very well with [Junior] dos Santos or Cain Velasquez. I would love to fight the winner of that [after this fight]. But I hear Brock Lesnar is healthy, and I would love to see how I match up with a guy like that as well. From here, there?s not many fights left -- only a couple of guys." -Brendan Schaub talks to
ESPN.com about the challenge of fighting Antonio Minotauro Nogueira in Brazil at UFC 134 this weekend, battling for respect and wanting a big fight after this event.
Penick's Analysis: I'll say this, if Schaub beats Nogueira and isn't the one who gets the nod for the next title shot, I'd love to see a fight between him and Brock Lesnar. That would be a more interesting fight for Lesnar to me than the rumored third matchup with Frank Mir, though below a potential fight with Alistair Overeem if the Dutch striker comes to terms with the UFC. Still, Schaub would be a viable option if he defeats Nogueira, and I'd be very excited to see that matchup.
[Brendan Schaub art by Cory Gould (c) MMATorch.com]
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