"Frank Mir will find out how good Nogueira's Jiu Jitsu is on December 27th if the fight goes to the floor. I've been training with a lot of great Jiu Jitsu guys and Nogueira is the best I have ever trained with. I had the chance to roll with Vinny while at the show and he did not tap me out. If it was to be a Jiu Jitsu competition, I would win by points and he is 30 pounds heavier than me. I think he is a good Black Belt, but nothing extraordinary. I would like to face him in a Jiu Jitsu competition," stated Team Nogueira instructor Daniel Valverde as he compared the Jiu Jitsu skills of Antonio Nogueira, Vinny Magalhaes and Frank Mir. Check out what he had to say about Nogueira's clash with Frank Mir this weekend and much more.
PC: How are you doing Daniel?
DV: I am fine, thank you!
PC: Could you give the fans that will read this interview a little background on yourself? What are your credentials?
DV: I am a Judo Black Belt, Brazilian Judo Champion, South American University Champion and a Jiu Jitsu Black Belt 3rd Degree under Master Osvaldo Alves. I am a No-Gi Jiu Jitsu World Champion, multiple Naga Champion, multiple Grappling Quest Champion and Budweiser Cup Champion.
PC: What got you started in training Judo and Jiu Jitsu?
DV: I started training Judo when I was 5 years old with my father who is a Judo Black Belt. When I was 14, I started training Jiu Jitsu to improve my ground game. By that time, Jiu Jitsu was getting very popular in Brazil.
PC: What was The Ultimate Fighter Season 8 experience like for you?
DV: It was a very good experience to work with the guys, learn from them and teach them something that will help their game. Also, working with Nogueira is always a great honor. I learned a lot there.
PC: Frank Mir seemed to think that Vinny's Jiu Jitsu was better than Nog's and I've heard that there were conversations that it may be even better than yours as well. Do you think his Jiu Jitsu is that versed?
DV: Frank Mir will find out how good Nogueira's Jiu Jitsu is on December 27th if the fight goes to the floor. I've been training with a lot of great Jiu Jitsu guys and Nogueira is the best I have ever trained with. I had the chance to roll with Vinny while at the show and he did not tap me out. If it was to be a Jiu Jitsu competition, I would win by points and he is 30 pounds heavier than me. I think he is a good Black Belt, but nothing extraordinary. I would like to face him in a Jiu Jitsu competition.
PC: When you're looking to invest time in a fighter, what is the main asset that they must posses?
DV: First of all, the fighter has to be a humble person. Secondly, he has to have a fighter's heart and third, he has to like to train very hard.
PC: Did you see the potential in any of those guys in the house that maybe one of them could be a champion one day?
DV: Yes. I think Ryan is a champion. He is young and he has a lot of potential. Efrain and Phillipe as well are great and young fighters.
PC: Delgado has made it known how good your Jiu Jitsu is and he actually took offense to some of the comments that Vinny was accused of making. Have you and Vinny patched things up?
DV: Vinny called me and Nogueira to apologize and he said that he didn't mean to disrespect us, but everything that he said on the show is taped. He is not a bad guy; he just thinks that he is better than he really is.
PC: I didn't like some of the disrespect I felt Nog received while on the show. Do you think some of those guys took for granted not only training with, but being around a legend like Minotauro?
DV: Those guys are so young, they didn't have any idea what Minotauro represents in the MMA world. They should be glad to have the opportunity to talk and learn from him. The bad attitudes came from Mir's Team. The guys from our team were always very respectful with the coaches.
PC: After the soccer game, Mir made a comment that he's better than Nog in everything that they are both trained in. Do you think that's one of those "be careful what you say" comments?
DV: Yes, of course! Nogueira has fought and beat the best fighters in the world so Mir will find out how good Nogueira is on December 27th.
PC: People from all over the world come to train Judo and Jiu Jitsu with you Daniel. I'm impressed with a guy like Dustin Hazelett's BJJ. Are there any younger guys out there that have caught your eye as far as their ground skills?
DV: The Americans are getting much better in Jiu Jitsu. I can see potential in a lot of these young guys.
PC: Would you like to compete in MMA in the near future?
DV: I'm so busy taking care of the Team Nogueira MMA in the USA, I haven't had time to train myself as a professional. I want to compete in the Abhu Dhabi next year and maybe after that, I'll do a MMA fight.
PC: If you look at Nogueira's previous fights in the UFC, he's had a distinct advantage in Jiu Jitsu over his opponents. Is he doing anything different in training now that he's fighting a guy with at least the same level of BJJ as him?
DV: I think Frank Mir has good Jiu Jitsu. He's dangerous, but Nogueira's Jiu Jitsu is much better. In addition, Nog has better hands and cardio than Mir. He didn't change his training for this fight.
PC: Nogueira has one of the greatest weapons in MMA because it's something you can't teach and that's his toughness and the ability to take punishment. Do you see that as the difference in this fight?
DV: For sure it is. That's why Nogueira is one of the best fighters in the world.
PC: Was the show kind of a distraction as far as Nog's preparation for this fight? I know he's never done anything like this before?
DV: He was training hard during the show with me, Anderson Silva, Lyotto Machida and Amauri Bitetti. Nogueira is the type of guy that never stops training.
PC: How do you see this fight going and eventually how do you see it ending?
DV: Nogueira has better hands than him. Definitely Nogueira will try knocking him out and finish the fight standing up.
PC: Brock Lesnar is the current heavyweight champion. What do you think of him as a fighter?
DV: He has great wrestling. He's a big guy, but he doesn't have that much experience as a MMA fighter.
PC: Daniel, thanks for your time my man. Good luck to you guys Saturday night. Is there anything you want to say in closing and let the fans know where they can catch your seminars at?
DV: Thank you for the opportunity. If you need any information about seminars, please feel free to contact the main academy, Team Nogueira MMA, in Miami. The phone number is 786-427-8222 or by email dfvalverde@yahoo.com
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