In a rematch of a bout that took place in September 2007, former UFC light heavyweight champions Mauricio Rua and Forrest Griffin will meet once again to determine which fighter is more deserving of taking a big step toward reclaiming their belt.
In their first meeting, Griffin spoiled Rua’s UFC debut with a third-round submission. The win earned Griffin a shot at Quinton Jackson and a UFC title, which he proceeded to win in a decision victory.
Rua only recently lost his title to current UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, but the Brazilian is still considered one of the best fighters in the 205-pound division. By avenging his loss to Griffin, Rua would put himself right back in the mix for another shot at the strap.
Griffin, on the other hand, has been out of the title picture for awhile now. However, back-to-back wins over Tito Ortiz and Rich Franklin have Griffin in that conversation once again. Another win over Rua could once again propel Griffin into striking distance of the champion.
Both Rua and Griffin are known for putting on exciting fights. This is a tough fight to predict, but one thing that can be assured is an electrifying bout.
This fight between Rua and Griffin will serve as the third bout of the UFC 134 main card, which will begin on pay-per-view at approximately 9:00 p.m. ET.
The pay-per-view event will also feature a UFC middleweight championship bout between Anderson Silva and Yushin Okami, a heavyweight clash that will see Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira return to the Octagon to face Brendan Schaub and a lightweight battle between rising prospects Edson Barboza and Ross Pearson.
Sean Smith is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report MMA. Sean has also had his work featured on UFC.com. For the latest insight and updates on everything MMA, you can follow Sean on Twitter @SeanSmithMMA.