By Guilherme Cruz

Photo Eduardo Ferreira

Former UFC and Pride heavyweight champion, Rodrigo Minotauro suffered many injuries during the last years. Disputing 40 fights on his 10 years of career, the Brazilian postponed surgeries to do what he loves the most: to fight. But the defeats to Frank Mir and Cain Velasquez made Rodrigo rethink and do the surgery.

On the last weekend, Minotauro entered an OR to have a hip surgery. “He already is fine, recovering. Now he has to rest and take proper care so he can return on a perfect state”, comments Luis Carlos Dórea, Boxing coach of the tough guy, excited about his recovery process. “Rodrigo is a very strong man; this recovery should be a good one. We believe he might return to the trainings within three months”, said.

The heavyweight will complete, in February, a year without fighting, the longest period he stayed off the rings on his entire career. According to the fighter’s doctors, the prediction is for a return at the end of the first semester of 2011, or on the beginning of the second. With UFC Rio scheduled for August 27th, his return could be postponed for a noble cause, once Minotauro has never fought in Brazil.

“It’d be very good for the Brazilian fans, but his mind is now focused on his recovery and resting. He had some old injuries and he has always postponed the surgeries so he could fight and don’t miss his appointments, but now, thanks God, he stopped to heal himself”, tells Dórea, reminding that Minotauro has also had a knee surgery in 2010. “He was fighting while injured, with many, many injuries”, concludes the coach.