After dispatching Randy Couture last Saturday at UFC 102, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira was game to “play” with reigning champ Brock Lesnar if the opportunity became available.

“If they gave me a title shot, it would be awesome,” he told MMAWeekly.

But after hearing Frank Mir’s opinions about his performance, Big Nog is eyeing a rematch with the former champion.

In an interview with Steve Cofield of ESPN Radio 1100, Mir on Thursday said he was tired of hearing Nogueira talk about his injuries after their UFC 92 bout, especially as a part of the pre and post fight storyline for Nogueira’s victory last weekend.

“It’s not an excuse…’I almost died from staph infection,’” said Mir. “It’s like, no, you can’t say ‘I’m not making excuses’ and make an excuse as you’re saying it.

“Everybody has excuses. You lose. You say, hey it’s not my day. All of us can point to injuries and problems, but at the end of the day, I don’t think fans honestly want to hear that.”

Nogueira said his post-fight comments, given in response to UFC commentator Joe Rogan’s inquiry of his health leading up to the UFC 92 fight, were not meant to excuse his performance against Mir.

“If I was making excuses, I would have been making excuses right after the fight,” the former Pride and UFC champ told MMAWeekly. “I’m not making excuses, I’m giving you a reason.”

Nogueira said the Mir loss was one of two he hadn’t avenged yet—Fedor Emelianenko being the other blemish—and he’d be happy to fight Mir again to prove his point.

“If Mir feels it’s an excuse, then lets get in the Octagon and see whether it’s an excuse or a reason in December and settle it,” he continued. “I’d love to fight Frank Mir at UFC 107.”

Mir is expected to face Kongo at UFC 107 on Dec. 12 in Memphis, Tenn., though the promotion has not confirmed the fight.

On Thursday, lightweight champion BJ Penn confirmed a rumored match-up with Diego Sanchez for the southern card. The placement of the bout, however, appears to be unset after reports surfaced Friday that the event’s rumored headliner, Rashad Evans vs. Quinton Jackson, was off due to Jackson’s role in an upcoming movie remake of television series “The A-Team.”

This subject got me to thinking after Nog’s win tonight why exactly he has a perceived high “milage” as a fighter and how that compares to Brock Lesnar’s.

There is no doubt that Nogueira has been in some wars in the ring and cage which were classic fights but he is only 33 which is young when compared to Couture. Lesnar is not far behind Noguiera being 32 but maybe since he is relatively new to mma as a professional he’s thought to be younger but let’s look at how these two have gotten to where they’re at now.

Imo the first real battle Noqueira was in was against Heath Herring for the Pride Heavyweight belt at Pride 17 in late 2001. The following year he endured a beating from Bob Sapp but went on to win the fight. He also had two battles with Fedor which went to decisions, took a beating on his feet from Cro-Cop before pulling another win out, and a decision loss later avenged to Josh Barnett before moving on to the UFC.

Nearly at the same time Nogueira was going to war with Herring in Pride, Brock Lesnar was entering the WWE as a main eventer. While in the WWE for roughly 3 years he endured all the falls and injuries associated with rasslin’ and a travel schedule that is no way comparable to any mma fighter and likely no other athletes. He traveled for up to 300 days a year, had both knees torn up, back and neck problems and wrestled with a blown MCL and 3 broken ribs for 6 months because he had just became champion. He later tried a venture into the NFL then New Japan Pro Wrestling before dedicating himself to mma at roughly the same time Nogueira was entering the UFC.

So their age isn’t much different but Nogueira imo is still perceived to be more worn down and closer to the end of his career than Lesnar. I’m not so sure he is. Being a Nogueira fan since his Pride days it would make a great story for him to match up against Lesnar and get the UFC belt but I think the odds would be against him realistically and I would hate to see him take a beating like Mir did. I think a rematch with Mir would be a good match for a healthy, re-focused Nogueira and if he was able to avenge that loss than maybe a rubber match after.

Beyond that I’d like to see him retire and go out a winner instead of taking beating after beating against younger guys, having a somewhat tarnished legacy and not knowing when it was time hang them up.

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