Few fighters in the history of mixed martial arts can match resumes with Mauricio “Shogun” Rua.
The MMA legend has won both Pride and UFC titles over the course of his storied career and traded leather with a collection of top-ranked talents and icons of the sport along the way. During the height of his popularity, Rua was widely recognized as the best middleweight fighter on the planet and one of the pound-for-pound best in the sport. And he had a violent highlight reel to back it up.
In the four years between 2003 and 2007, the Brazilian wrecking machine won 13 of his 14 appearances, with the sole loss coming by way of doctor stoppage due to a broken arm he suffered against former UFC heavyweight champion Mark Coleman at Pride 31 in 2006. Over this period the former Chute Boxe standout brutalized Quinton “Rampage” Jackson with soccer kicks and knocked out eventual heavyweight juggernaut Alistair Overeem on two separate occasions.
While he would go on to find success in the UFC by claiming the light heavyweight title and earning showcase victories over Lyoto Machida and promotional superstar Chuck Liddell, the past three years haven’t yielded the success Rua has typically enjoyed. The 32-year-old Brazilian has won only three of his past eight outings and has dropped three of his last four affairs. Most recently, he was on the business end of a blistering knockout delivered by Dan Henderson in the second round of their tilt in March.
Although Rua was winning the bout before being dropped by Hendo, the end result was still another setback for a fighter who was becoming hardly recognizable to his former self. Following that loss, speculation of Rua’s retirement or dropping down a weight class began to spread throughout the MMA community, but the fighter wasn’t budging.
“I really don’t pay any mind or focus to what the critics say,” Rua told Bleacher Report with the assistance of a translator. “I never considered retiring at any moment. It never even crossed my mind. If I want to keep fighting, and the UFC still wants to have me, then why would I think about retiring or pay any attention to those comments? I believe I still have the skills to compete, and I don’t let any of that get to my head.”
Rua believes he still has what it takes to compete at the highest level of the sport and will put that notion to the test when he faces Jimi Manuwa at Fight Night 56 on Nov. 8. The British powerhouse is dangerous, but Rua is looking to prove he still belongs among the best in the UFC light heavyweight division.
“This is going to be a good fight for the crowd and the fans,” Rua said. “[Manuwa] is a good striker. He goes in there and tries to finish fights, and so do I. That is why I think it has all the tools to be an aggressive show for all the fans. I think it will be a great fight.
“I’m very happy to be fighting in Brazil and to be the main event. It has me very motivated to go out there and get the win.”
While Rua may not be giving any credence to retirement talk, one issue that will be impossible to avoid in the lead-up to his bout is his status as an elite fighter. All of his recent losses have come against top-level talent, but they have been losses nonetheless. For Rua to keep his place in the upper tier of the 205-pound weight class, he needs to turn things around in a big way, and he has to start with his upcoming tilt with the British slugger.
On the flip side, such is the state of the light heavyweight division that a fighter with Rua’s name recognition could be one win away from landing a high-profile matchup. His fighting style is pure excitement, and putting Shogun on a card is a guaranteed show. Yet, he will have to prove he still has what it takes, and that is his sole focus heading into Fight Night 56.
“I really don’t think about those things,” Rua said in regard to status and regaining title contention. “I don’t want to put any pressure on myself because my only focus is to go in there to do my best and fight. That’s what I’m obligated to do, and that’s what I think about. I don’t think outside of that because I’m not trying to make any additional pressure.”
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
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