'Filipino Assassin' makes waves in UFC
By June Navarro
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 13:05:00 01/08/2009
Filed Under: Martial Arts (general), Human Interest
MANILA, Philippines—Another mixed martial arts fighter with Filipino roots is making heads turn in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
And just like UFC celebrity Brandon “The Truth” Vera, Philippe Nover has impressed organizers and MMA enthusiasts with a strong finish in the “The Ultimate Fighter 8” last month at The Palms in Las Vegas.
Nover clobbered veterans Joe Duarte, Dave Kaplan and George Roop inside two rounds on his way to the lightweight finals of the reality show produced by the UFC.
The Brooklyn, New York-raised Nover, however, dropped a three-round decision to Mexican Efrain Escudero in the lightweight finals to end up with a 6-1-1 (win-loss-draw) record last year.
Totally impressed, UFC president Dana White conveniently ignored Nover’s defeat and nicknamed the 5-foot-9 Pinoy-Brazilian ju-jitsu blackbelt as the “Filipino Assassin.”
White and TUF8 coach Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira said Nover could be the next Anderson Silva, the reigning UFC middleweight champion. They also likened Nover to reigning UFC welterweight titleholder George St. Pierre.
Nover remains humble despite the praises. “I never even thought I could blow up this much and I’m glad that my fans enjoyed it,” the 24-year-old Nover said
“ I hope I can keep doing what I’m doing. I’ve been training like crazy, and there’s no other way to go but up,” added the fighter who is gifted with heavy hands, a good clinch and a knack for bringing an opponent down to submission.
Determined to follow in the footsteps of the light heavyweight Vera (9-3-0), Nover—whose mother is a Filipino— gave up a high-paying job as a registered nurse in the emergency room of the Coney Island Hospital in New York.
Nover added other dimensions to his skills prior to entering the UFC by training hard in muay thai, karate, kung fu and arnis to complement his jiu-jitsu expertise.
“I’ve dedicated the last six months of my life to fight,” said Nover, who briefly lingered in the Ring of Champions before bringing his act to the UFC. “I quit my full-time job and sacrificed my social life.
“The UFC is the NBA of mixed martial arts. I guess dreams come true when you work hard for them. Kung may sipag at tiyaga, may nilaga (With diligence and perseverance, you get beef stew.).”
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