Minotauro’s Guardian Angel

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Anyone who has followed the career of Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira knows that overcoming adversity has been the hallmark of the Brazilian icon; he was struck by a car at age 11, recovered and became one of the most decorated heavyweights in mixed martial arts history.

After losing to current heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez at UFC 110 in February 2010, “Minotauro” decided to undergo three surgeries -- two on his hip and one on his knee -- in order to regain the form that once made him one of the most feared fighters in the world, even though such procedures may have left the careers of lesser men in doubt.

Following six months of intense physical therapy, Nogueira has returned to training, as he prepares to face “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 10 finalist Brendan Schaub at UFC 134 on Aug. 27 at the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Beyond all his grit and fighting spirit, the work of one professional was pivotal to his return to the cage.

Physiotherapist Angela Cortes began physical therapy with Nogueira after his first surgery and remained with him through the entire ordeal, aiding in his recovery.

“It was six months of hard work,” Cortes told Sherdog.com. “We worked six hours a day. It’s a thrill to see Rodrigo ready [to return to fighting].”

Marc Philippon, the surgeon who operated on Nogueira, connected the dots between the two.

“I’d spent time with him, following the post-operative progress of athletes,” Cortes says. “Mark called me and asked me to go to Brazil and help with the recovery of a Brazilian athlete.”

Cortes has been a physical therapist for 16 years and draws heavily upon her experience with patients with neurological issues. She worked with Nogueira daily for six months and prepared him for the second surgery on his hip.

“The goal was to get him recovered and for him to come back and fight in 2011,” she says. “We had to hurry. I went with him to Colorado for the second surgery, and there was no pain. The work was excellent. We transitioned off the crutches from the second to third week. On average, it takes six weeks for that. He had specific exercises for physical fitness, and I worked on his base and maintaining the stability of his hips.”

Nogueira was an interesting case. Some questioned whether or not he would ever be able to physically compete again. Without the surgeries, retirement was
all but certain.

“He was all locked up and had lost the ability to rotate,” Cortes says. “On the first day, we established a good rapport. I knew what his goals were and thought, ‘Why not? You can do it.’ At no time did I tell him I didn’t think he could do it. I heard others saying there was no way, that Minotauro had to retire, but there was never any negativity between us.

“He’s very stubborn,” she adds. “He worked until one o’clock in the morning. When he stayed at my house in the U.S., he went to bed at 11 p.m., and at 7 a.m., I was already running his knee, saying, ‘Come on. Wake up.’”

Nogueira, who turned 35 in June, appears to be fully recovered from a medical standpoint, though he will have to tend to his flexibility.

“Clinically, he’s been reset,” Cortes says. “He has to maintain the stability of the hip, do the groundwork and prevention. A lot of times in practice, the front of the hip caught, which resulted in a loss of movement in the medium- to long-term. It takes away from the stability [of the joint], which he needs.”

Nogueira has remained dedicated to his rehabilitation.

“It’s funny; sometimes he comes to my office, where he’s provided with all the support he needs, and the other patients urge him to stay longer because it’s working,” Cortes says. “They all think positive. It’s two to three times a week, a solid two hours per day. Before, it was five or six hours a day because I had to prepare him for the second surgery and needed him to get him off crutches from the first surgery. It’s just another part of his story of overcoming [the odds]. His whole life has been about overcoming.”

Getting Nogueira away from the crutches was a defining moment in his recovery.

“He was unsure,” Cortes says. “I had a day in mind, and I didn’t tell him I was taking them, but it was almost like he read my mind and said, ‘Give me three or four days.’ I put him to work in the pool. When he finished, Rodrigo went to get out of the water and asked me for the crutches. I told him no, that I’d be his crutch.

“There was a small rise off the pool, and I told him to push me as we ascended,” she adds. “When he got up the stairs, he said, ‘Now, give me my crutches.’ And I said, ‘For what? You pushed me; you didn’t hold on to me. You’re already walking.’ I worked on him psychologically.”

Cortes was not a fan of MMA until her path crossed with Nogueira, who has held titles in both the UFC and Pride Fighting Championships.

“I didn’t even know who Minotauro was,” she says. “My husband is a Marine, and he likes it a lot. When I got the call from Marc Philippon, my husband laughed. I started watching the fights, and I love it. I got a personal trainer to stay with Rodrigo now, to make sure he’s taking on a multi-disciplinary regimen. There can be no specific job for him without the coach knowing about it. There has to be balance in the movement, and he has to avoid exhaustion, which results in a decline of physical fitness, strength and flexibility.”

Cortes plans to be close by when Nogueira faces Schaub in August.

“I watched a UFC from a front row in the U.S.,” she says. “I thought, ‘Geez, the blood will splash here,’ but I loved it. We all want the best for him.”