‘Shogun’ Rua would accept to fight Anderson Silva after TUF: Brazil 4

UBERLANDIA, Brazil — Mauricio Rua faces Ovince St. Preux in the main event of Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 56 in Brazil, but struggles to maintain his focus on the fight.

On the same night UFC announced St. Preux as a short-notice replacement for injured Jimi Manuwa, the promotion announced that “Shogun” would coach the fourth season of The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil in 2015 in opposite to Anderson Silva.

Rua and Silva won’t fight at the end of the TUF season, but “Shogun” would accept the bout — “at 205 (pounds),” he says — if the UFC wants to make it happen.

“I won’t ask for this fight, I started training with Anderson,” Rua told the media in Brazil. “The UFC offered me the TUF gig without the fight in the end, and I didn’t consider fighting him. (But) if the UFC wants, I would do it. I’m a professional.”

Rua was rumored to be one of the TUF: Brazil 4 coaches in opposite to former rival Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, but Silva got the call instead of “Minotouro.”

“I think that, with Anderson, TUF will get more attention from the fans because he’s a great idol in Brazil,” Rua said. “Who knows, maybe I fight ‘Minotouro’ at the TUF Finale card.”

“I’m really happy to be coaching TUF with Anderson,” he added. “He’s an icon of the sport. It’s a dream coming true for me.”

UBERLANDIA, Brazil — Mauricio Rua faces Ovince St. Preux in the main event of Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 56 in Brazil, but struggles to maintain his focus on the fight.

On the same night UFC announced St. Preux as a short-notice replacement for injured Jimi Manuwa, the promotion announced that “Shogun” would coach the fourth season of The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil in 2015 in opposite to Anderson Silva.

Rua and Silva won’t fight at the end of the TUF season, but “Shogun” would accept the bout — “at 205 (pounds),” he says — if the UFC wants to make it happen.

“I won’t ask for this fight, I started training with Anderson,” Rua told the media in Brazil. “The UFC offered me the TUF gig without the fight in the end, and I didn’t consider fighting him. (But) if the UFC wants, I would do it. I’m a professional.”

Rua was rumored to be one of the TUF: Brazil 4 coaches in opposite to former rival Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, but Silva got the call instead of “Minotouro.”

“I think that, with Anderson, TUF will get more attention from the fans because he’s a great idol in Brazil,” Rua said. “Who knows, maybe I fight ‘Minotouro’ at the TUF Finale card.”

“I’m really happy to be coaching TUF with Anderson,” he added. “He’s an icon of the sport. It’s a dream coming true for me.”