Antonio Rogerio Nogueira vs. Moise Rimbon
It was just three years ago that the younger brother of second-best-ever heavyweight Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira was firmly in the mix with top light heavyweights. The overlooked man in Pride's deep light heavyweight class, people pined to see him challenge Wanderlei Silva, especially after his balls-out fight-of-the-year thriller with Mauricio "Shogun" Rua. Unfortunately, since Pride's demise, "Minotoro" has been more akin to an ATM robber than an elite fighter, periodically sticking up the likes of the ill-fated HCF and overly charitable Affliction with minimal work.
Thankfully, Nogueira's participation on this card is welcome, especially given that he's fighting a solid, deserving opponent. Rimbon brings a grit and all-around game that wasn't present in previous challengers Todd Gouwenberg and Edwin Dewees. However, stylistically, it's an awful fight for the formidable Frenchman. Despite his high opinion of his own standup, Rimbon is highly susceptible to a solid jab, which Nogueira, a solid amateur boxer, certainly has. Nogueira's recent implementation of clinch work into his striking should give him another avenue to do damage on the feet. Even if Rimbon could take Nogueira down, Nogueira's ground game is good enough to keep him in the driver's seat from the guard.
Rimbon should make it the full 15 minutes, but Nogueira will be your victor. While he's tentatively scheduled for action with Affliction in January, may I suggest Minotoro putting on his ski mask and attempting to get a seven-figure deal with the AFL?
Muhammad Lawal vs. Fabio Silva
We're amidst a rich renaissance for great wrestlers heading into MMA. The accompanying and proper ideology is that these grapplers need to be built, tweaked and polished, their toolboxes being incrementally expanded until they're versatile mixed martial artists ready to curbstomp the opposition. On the other hand, this is Japan.
With that in mind, WVR instantly went all in on the 27-year-old Lawal. The former top-ranked American freestyle wrestler, who was just seconds from a 2008 Beijing Games berth, took a fight with super-sturdy vet Travis Wiuff on less than two weeks’ notice, in his MMA debut. WVR did its part, securing full regal regalia for Lawal's "King Mo" gimmick, including his own harem of stripper-slash-hip-hop dancers. More impressively, Lawal did his part, needing just over two minutes to punch out the veteran Wiuff.
Lawal's second go-around against Chute Boxe charge Fabio Silva is proper and well made, but in honesty, easier than his fight with Wiuff. Despite possessing dirtnap-level power in his hands and knees, and the fact we've got no idea if Lawal can withstand taking a serious crack to the chops, Silva's defensive wrestling is horrendous, having been dominated in the takedown department by the likes of Claudio Godoi. Lawal can take this bout to the mat at will, where he should be able to pound away on Silva for a TKO victory and still have enough energy left to harpoon his quartet of queens.