'The Expendables' Recruit The Brazilian Rocky Balboa, Finds Its Female Lead

Has Sylvester Stallone finally met his match? A Mixed Martial Arts fighter nicknamed the ‘Brazilian Rocky Balboa’ has been cast in”The Expendables” along with his twin brother.

Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, also known as Minotoro and Minotauro, are two of the biggest names in MMA with the latter brother earning the nickname of the Brazilian Rocky Balboa with his tenacious fighting style. When brought to Sly’s attention in a recent interview, he simply replied: “Seriously!? Oh god, just hope he hasn’t been beaten as much as I did.” However, the namesake apparently fascinated him so much that he sought him out and cast him and his brother in the upcoming film.

Also joining the cast will supermodel Gisele Itié who will play a ‘very strong female’ of significant importance. Sly describes the casting of Itié as “the most difficult part of casting process because she represents the heart of the movie.” He elaborates further: “she’s the reason why the guys come back. It’s not for the money. It’s important to these guys to keep alive what she represents, protecting civilization. Although they had sold their souls, there’s a time in your life when you say: “You know what? You have to give it back, to do something without expecting something back, a cause worth fighting for”. It’s a redemption movie.”

“The Expendables” is due out sometime in 2010. Meanwhile, you can follow the film’s production over at twitter.