Mauricio Rua has run hot and cold since he debuted under the UFC banner back in 2007, never stringing together more than two wins at a time, though never suffering defeat in back-to-back contests.
The inconsistency in performance thus far is attributable to a handful of factors, such as the health of his oft-operated on knees and strength of schedule. But regardless of the variables that have pushed Rua down the road of past glories, the Brazilian is still a relatively young man (30) in what should be the prime of his career.
As a former Pride Grand Prix and UFC champion, Shogun is firmly entrenched in a position that is both enviable and pitiable, facing nothing but top competition from here on out.
Whether or not his body holds up will be the decisive factor in determining whether Rua can transition into his early 30s successfully, trouncing competition en route to another title shot or shutting down and yielding to the next generation of contenders.
While assessing this projection will have to happen over a minimum of a few years, Shogun’s next performance will be a strong indication of what to expect over the course of his next several bouts.
Here, we will examine five possible opponents with whom Shogun can seek to rebuild his star over.