Rogério “Minotouro” Nogueira won extra animous for the end of the year. After debut with a victory in Affliction and see the second edition postponed for January, the fighter has already a new fight for this year. Designated for Sengoku sixth edition, to face Moise Rimbom, Minotouro celebrates the return to the RisingSunLand. In an interview for Tatame, the fighter spoke about his new challenge, his brother’s fight against Frank Mir and did his bets for the GP, farther on to lament the crash of EliteXC, where his friend Rafael “Feilão” would fight for the belt. Check below the complete interview with the Nogueira.

You’ll face Moise Rimbom in Sengoku 6... Which is the expectative for the fight?

The expectative is very good, I’m training a lot here. I was training for my fight in Affliction, but with the change of the date I tried to see something for me in Japan and thanks God I succeeded in signing a deal, and didn’t stop training. I went well of the last fight, didn’t get hurt and I’ll arrive there in good conditions to make this fight and to represent well Brazil and once again return to Japan, making a dream come true.

Which is the sensation of coming back to Japan, where you shined in Pride and Deep?

Japan couldn’t stop. It is a great crowd, despite of being a small country, is very populous and the people like very much the MMA. While we have almost eight years of work out there, I think that couldn’t stop quite so, and it’s a satisfaction come back to there and know that the Japanese market is back with great events and I couldn’t leave this opportunity of fight, represent my team and the Jiu-Jitsu in Japan.

What do you know about your opponent?

He’s from Muay Thai, likes to fight in short distance, work on the knees, and I’ll try to play in the long distance with him, but if he try to make it short I’ll take for the ground, and I think that there I’m technically in advantage, I’ll fight to submit.

What you expect of the fight of your brother (Rodrigo Minotauro) against Frank Mir in the end of the year?

It will be a good ground fight, this guy (Mir) is a monster of ground, very strong. I think that Rodrigo will submit.

And who you bet to win the other combat, between Randy Couture and Brock Lesnar? Do you think that the time away from fighting can be a problem to Couture?

No way, he (Couture) is an expert fighter and will win this fight, certainly. I want him to face Rodrigo, that´s what my brother wants for a long time ago, if he succeed that would be great.

The EliteXC crashed and canceled the future events... What do you think of the crash of one of the biggest competitors of UFC?

In fact, I didn’t know about that crash... “Feijão” (Rafael Cavalcante) was going to fight forthe belt. What a crazy thing, the guys were training a lot here…