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Oh, how the mighty have fallen.
There was a time not too long ago when a fight between former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira would be something to talk about. It still is, but not for the same reasons.
"The Huntington Beach Bad Boy" and "Minotouro" have experienced steep declines recently in their mixed martial arts (MMA) careers/skills after enjoying significant success. Since 2010, both fighters have combined for just two wins compared to four losses. Ortiz, once a top draw for the promotion, has even indicated that his fight tonight (Dec. 10, 2010) against his Brazilian counterpart at UFC 140 could be among his last.
Nogueira, 35, has not publicly shared the same sentiment; however, it's no secret that his back is up against the wall and the pressure to perform at the Air Canada Center in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, later this evening is intense.
This is a classic match up between two fighters with vastly different styles and skills sets. Ortiz is a powerful wrestling-minded fighter with fantastic ground and pound, while Nogueira is a decorated amateur Brazilian boxer who also knows a thing or two about an art known as jiu-jitsu.
And, naturally, whoever can get the fight into "their world" will likely emerge victorious after a scheduled three rounds of action.
| Aspect | Ortiz | Points | Nogueira | Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Range Fighting | ||||
| Boxing | STILL Improving | 1 | Olympic-level | Nogueira |
| Kickboxing | Tries Hard | 1 | Prefers Punching | Ortiz |
| Wrestling | Excellent | 1 | Average | Ortiz |
| Clinch Fighting | ||||
| Dirty Boxing | Tries Hard | 1 | Doesn't Have To Try | Nogueira |
| Thai Clinch | Textbook | 1 | Underutilized | Ortiz |
| Throws/Trips | Strong | 1 | See Above | Ortiz |
| Ground Fighting | ||||
| Positional Control | Very Good | 1 | Good | Ortiz |
| Scrambling | Fast | 1 | Not as Fast | Ortiz |
| Ground and Pound | Brutal | 1 | Effective | Ortiz |
| Submissions | Improving | 0 | Secondary | Tie |
| Intangibles | Nothing Left to Prove | 1 | Under The Gun | Ortiz |
| Overall | (Maybe) Last Hurrah | 8/2 | Not Done in MMA ... Yet | Ortiz |
To check out our complete archive for all the news and notes related to the fight between Tito Ortiz vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira that takes place later this evening click here.