• Rodrigo "Minotauro" Nogueira is currently in Cuba training boxing with the Brazilian Olympic Boxing team. Nogueira did some training with them to improve his boxing skills in Brazil, and got an invitation to train some more with them while they are preparing in Cuba since Brazil lacks in super heavyweights. Rumors were flying that Minotauro was also aiming for a shot at the Olympic games in boxing, but this is not the case. According to his manager, Mario Sperry, Minotauro is there just to improve his skills and will be flying to Japan in the coming days to meet Sperry and help him out with his PRIDE BUSHIDO fight. Minotauro will be fighting in the PRIDE Heavyweight GP and will not try to take part into any Olympic games trials.
• UFC Light-Heavyweight Champion Vitor Belfort returned to Brazil after his doctor stoppage win over Randy Couture at the last UFC, and barely had the time or the mindset to celebrate. Soon after he arrived in Brazil, Belfort got back to his campaign to find his missing sister. Priscila Belfort has been missing for several weeks now, and no information has turned up yet. "The Phenom" has appeared on some of Brazil’s biggest TV shows in recent days, always talking about his sister and appearing quite sad, not in a celebratory mood at all. During his speeches on TV shows, Vitor also stated he would like to face PRIDE champion Wanderlei Silva to unify the belts of the two biggest shows in the MMA world.
• Wanderlei Silva left for Japan on February 9th for his fight against Ikuhisa Minowa at PRIDE BUSHIDO. Silva trained very hard for this fight and is seeing this as a great opportunity not only for him, but also for the Chute Boxe team as a whole, as his teammates Mauricio Shogun Rua and Jadyson Costa are fighting on the card as well. Silva spoke with FCF about his upcoming fight and future challenges, as you’ll be able to see here in this column in the coming days. Both young fighters, Shogun and Jadyson, also left for Japan the same day as Wanderlei, along with trainers Rudimar Fedrigo and Rafael Cordeiro. Jorge "Macaco "Patino is joining them as well on their voyage to the land of the Rising Sun to be in the fighters’ corners in his first appearance as a member of the Chute Boxe team. Mauricio "Shogun" Rua told FCF he is weighing 97 kg now and is already working to lose the 4 extra kilos for his fight against Akihiro Gono at Bushido. Word is that Shogun may appear as a heavyweight very soon.
• The MMA market continues to grow in Brazil and as a result new events are constantly popping up all over the place. The Northeastern MMA market, which once was non-existent in the country, is now flourishing due to the success of shows such as HEAT, and a new show will take place in the city of Fortaleza, in the state of Ceara, which is also in the Northeast of Brazil. The show is called the 1st Open Ceara Vale Tudo Challenge, and is scheduled for March 11th and will feature some HEAT FC veterans that are Brazilian Northeast breed, such as Paulo Guerreiro, Carlos Indio, Josenildo Rodrigues and Savio Maia — all of whom fought in HEAT FC 1.
• Speaking of HEAT FC, the second edition of the fastest growing show in the Southern hemisphere debuted on Brazilian Pay-Per-View on February 7th, through NET/SKY on the Premiere Combat channel. This was the first time a HEAT show was televised anywhere in the world. In the meantime, final details regarding the DVD production for America are taking place, and the promoters are starting to work on HEAT FC 3, scheduled for either April 15th or April 16th. Despite what was originally planned, the show will once again take place in the city of Natal, and some fights will be announced mid-February.
• As usual, UFC veteran Pedro Rizzo just traveled to Holland to train with his friend and K-1 legend Peter Aerts, in en effort to sharpen his Muay Thai skills even more. Rizzo left Brazil this past Tuesday and will be returning on February 26th. "The Rock" has yet to sign a contract with another organization, since his UFC contract ended, but is preparing with a fight around April in mind, since he has already received some proposals from Japanese organizations and is eager to get back to the ring.
• For more great behind the scenes info from the birthplace of Vale-Tudo, check out the Brazilian Beat in the upcoming issue of Full Contact Fighter

Of particular interest are the three ‘American Top Team versus JAPAN’ bouts that headline the card. ‘Izuru Takeuchi was ranked #1 by SHOOTO and is currently ranked #2 in PANCRASE. He faces Marcel Ferreira, a black belt who is definitely ready to step up to the challenge.’ states the matchmaker.

‘Likewise, Jorge Santiago of ATT steps up to face Takuya Wada, another veteran of PANCRASE and SHOOTO who has competed at the top level and won a lot of matches.’ continues the matchmaker. ‘Jorge needs this win to keep his momentum after winning at KOTC.’

Finally, Edson Diniz steps back into the AFC ring for the first time after losing his title to Nick Agallar at 155 lbs. ‘Edson faces Hiroki Kotani, whose brother is the star of the ZST event in Japan. Now ZST knows about the American TOP TEAM, they saw Marcos Aurelio win their 16 man tournament. Now, ATT has three more fighters ready to be introduced at the international level.’ concludes the matchmaker.

The entire card appears below.

FEBRUARY 27th, 2004 – AFC #7
Card Subject To Change:

3 RDS / 185 LBS: Marcel Ferreira (American TOP TEAM, Ft Lauderdale, FL.) v. Izuru Takeuchi (Pancrase, Tokyo, Japan)

3 RDS / 185 LBS: Jorge Santiago (American TOP TEAM, Ft Lauderdale, FL.) v. Takuya Wada (Pancrase, Tokyo, Japan)

3 RDS / 155 LBS: Edson Diniz (American TOP TEAM, Ft Lauderdale, FL) Hiroki Kotani (Tokyo, Japan)

2 RDS / 170 LBS: Thiago ‘PITBULL’ Alves (American TOP TEAM, Ft Lauderdale, FL) v. Nuri Shakir (Team ELITE, NH)

2 RDS / 185 LBS: Charles McCarthy (Freestyle Fighting Academy, Miami, FL.) v. David Bielkheden (Team Scandinavia, Stockholm, Sweden)

2 RDS / 205 LBS: Crafton ‘Blaze’ Wallace (Naples, FL.) v. Antony Rea (Toulouse, France)

2 RDS / 155 LBS: Gesias ‘JZ’ Calvancanti (American TOP TEAM, Ft Lauderdale, FL.) v. Justin Wisniewski (Duneland, Portage, IN)

2 RDS / 185 LBS: Efrain Ruiz (Freestyle Fighting Academy, Miami, FL) v. Todd Carney (Freelance, West Virginia)

2 RDS / 170 LBS: Joakim Engberg (SHOOTERS Int’l, Gothenberg, Sweden) v. Landon Showalter (Pearson Systems, Seattle, WA)

2 RDS / 170 LBS: Sauli Heilimo (Team Scandinavia, Turku, Finland) v. Carlo Prater (Yves Edwards Thugjitsu, Houston, TX)

Weigh-Ins: 10:00 AM (cut off at 11:30 AM sharp)
Fight Time: 12:00 PM (noon)

All teams and individual competitors are welcomed to participate.

Competitor entry fee: $30 for one Division or $50 for both. To encourage Team participation, there will be a team discount for 5 or more team members registering together ($25 for one Division or $40 for both). Children (by weight not age): $20. Spectator admission only $5.

Planned weight classes for Gi and No-Gi Tournaments:
135 lbs – 147 lbs
148 lbs – 160 lbs
161 lbs – 173 lbs
174 lbs – 188 lbs
189 lbs – 201 lbs
202 lbs – 213 lbs
214 lbs – Over

There will also be an OPEN Women’s Gi Division and an OPEN Women’s No-Gi Division.

Directions: closest major cross streets, Alma School Road / University Ave.

Westwood High is located on the South side of West 8th St between Alma School and Country club (closer to Alma School). West 8th St is just North of University.

FCF:   You’ll be fighting again for the first time after you won the PRIDE Middleweight GP, and your teammates Mauricio "Shogun" Rua and Jadyson Costa will be fighting on the same card. Being the PRIDE Middleweight Champion and Middlweight GP Champion, what’s your main motivation in going to PRIDE BUSHIDO to face Ikuhisa Minowa?
WS:     The main importance of this fight is to take my teammates to the big show and give them the chance to make their money and show they’ll work in Japan. We’re willing to win the three fights in BUSHIDO, as we all prepared very well. Shogun, Jadyson and myself are all ready, just waiting for the day of the fights. We’re going there and we’re going to show that the fighters from our academy always do a good showing! Inclusively, those who want to join Chute Boxe are all welcome. The academy has it doors open, so those who have this dream and have conditions to come to Curitiba even if it’s for a small period of time, or a long period of time for that matter, and if someone think he is able to come and do it, our academy is open to new talents. Master [Rudimar Fedrigo] is a very easy to talk to person, so those who want to come to train will be more than welcome.

FCF:   I remember when you beat Sakuraba for the second time and won the Pride Middleweight belt, you told me your master told you that you would stay undefeated as a champion for at least 10 years! It has been 2 years already, so there’s only 8 to go Wanderlei?
WS:     If God helps me! I always prepare myself to the limit, despite the injuries that happen all the time, cause it’s a very demanding sport. I’m always getting injured, but despite that I always fight well prepared, I really train hard and as long as God continues to give me strength and make my body withstand all the effort, I’ll keep fighting and I’m only going to stop when I really can’t do it anymore.

FCF:   Vitor Belfort just became the UFC Light-Heavyweight Champion in an awkward fight against Randy Couture, so there are some talks about a rematch between you and Vitor. Do you think this is going to happen? And what are Wanderlei Silva’s plans for 2004?
WS:     I intend to keep fighting in PRIDE this year, and if PRIDE goes to the USA I hope to be able to go and fight, and if I’ll have to go and fight against the UFC Champion, it’ll be even better! No matter who’s the champion. I’ll fight Belfort, I’ll fight Couture or anyone else that may appear in the meantime. I don’t pick opponents, and I’ll be well prepared to do a good showing against any opponent that may appear.