International Fight League light heavyweight champion
Vladimir Matyushenko (Pictures) will likely meet Pride Fighting Championships veteran
Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (Pictures) at Affliction “Day of Reckoning” on Oct. 11 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.
Sources close to the promotion confirmed the fight has been offered to both parties, though Matyushenko’s management declined to comment on the proposed matchup.
Matyushenko (21-3) defeated Nogueira (14-3) by unanimous decision at a Universal Fighting-Arts Organization event in Japan back in 2002. Having dominated competition inside the IFL, Matyushenko will carry an eight-fight winning streak into his next match. The 37-year-old Belarusian has not competed since he stopped
Jamal Patterson (Pictures) on strikes in April. He has been finished only once -- by former UFC heavyweight champion
Andrei Arlovski (Pictures) at UFC 44 -- in his career and holds other notable victories against
Yuki Kondo (Pictures),
Pedro Rizzo (Pictures) and
Travis Wiuff (Pictures).
Nogueira -- the twin brother of interim UFC heavyweight titleholder
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (Pictures) -- has won back-to-back bouts since his stunning knockout loss to Team Quest’s
Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (Pictures) at Pride 33 in February 2007. The 32-year-old Brazilian counts wins over two-time Olympian
Dan Henderson (Pictures), Japanese legend
Kazushi Sakuraba (Pictures) and reigning Strikeforce heavyweight champion
Alistair Overeem (Pictures) among his conquests. He last competed at Affliction “Banned” on July 19, when he stopped UFC veteran
Edwin Dewees (Pictures) on strikes inside one round.