Brendan Schaub Talks Big Nog, Mir, Nelson
MMA:30 caught up with Brendan “The Hybrid” Schaub at UFC 131‘s Octagonation. Brendan discussed his upcoming fight with Big Nog (Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira) at UFC 134 and where he feels he will rank with a win.
“It's the toughest test of my career,” said Brendan.“Nogueira's as tough as they come; I think he's the toughest heavyweight in the division. A win over him puts me right in the number one contender's spot and I'm looking forward to the challenge.”
While a win over Big Nog may not earn him a title shot, an impressive victory would certainly include him to the mix. Brendan has eight wins, seven of them by KO/TKO, six in the first round. Adding a win over Big Nog would only help his resume and his argument for a championship opportunity.
Brendan also discussed the possibility of fighting teammates such as his teammate Shane Carwin with probably the most honest and respectable answer I’ve heard in regards to the subject.
“[Fighting teammates] happens. There's nothing we can do to control it,” Brendan explained.“If it were to happen, it'd only be for a title shot situation, and it'd have to a be a fight that changed both our lives, so man, I'll deal with it when the time comes, but I'm concerned about Big Nog right now.”
After Carwin’s loss to Junior Dos Santos, I’m not sure the two will have to worry about a fight “for a title shot situation”, at least anytime soon, but it’s highly admirable that Brendan, neither dodged the question nor outright refused to fight an opponent, but rather stated that it’s not in his focus.
Brendan’s only loss coming by way of KO punch from heavy-handed Roy Nelson is nothing to be ashamed of. Seven of Nelson’s last eight victories came by way of KO/TKO as he swings wildly for the fences. Ideally Brendan would be able to avenge his only career loss, but that fight doesn’t make much sense for him right now. Nelson is currently on the slide dropping back to back fights in ugly one-sided fashion. Brendan, if he can beat Big Nog, would be on a five-fight win-streak and again, would be in the title discussion.
At that point, I think the fight that would make the most sense for Brendan, would be to fight Frank Mir - the man who most recently beat Nelson – in which the winner would earn top contender spot against the winner of Velasquez vs. Santos.
