Tag: Mauricio Rua

A Tribute to the Greatest Light Heavyweight of All Time

It’s not Chuck Liddell, not Wanderlei Silva, and it’s not Tito Ortiz. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua is the greatest light heavyweight of all time. When I first started this search of who would be the very best of the division, my searc…

It’s not Chuck Liddell, not Wanderlei Silva, and it’s not Tito Ortiz. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua is the greatest light heavyweight of all time.

When I first started this search of who would be the very best of the division, my search began with two names: the Ice Man and the Axe Murderer. Then I began looking deep into resumes.

This division was tough to sort out; however, when all of the smoke cleared and the dust settled, It was Shogun that stood above the rest.

 

PRIDE 2005 Grand Prix

Wanderlei Silva, Dan Henderson, Alistair Overeem, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, Igor Vovchanchyn, Kevin Randleman, Ricardo Arona, Shogun Rua. These are just some of the names that graced what is now being called the greatest MMA tournament of all time.

The winner of that talent-rich tournament was none other than Mauricio “Shogun” Rua.

Shogun defeated Rampage Jackson and Rogerio Nogueira within 60 days, then finished both Alistair Overeem and Ricardo Arona on the same night to take home the crown in the Grand Prix.

Within a 15-fight stretch, Shogun went 13-2 with his only true loss coming to Forrest Griffin. In that stretch, he defeated light heavyweight king Chuck Liddell, current UFC light heavyweight Cyrille Diabate, Kevin Randleman and the aforementioned 2005 Grand Prix victims.

 

Losses

In combat sports, sometimes it’s not your victories that define you, but your losses. At a glance you’d see that Shogun has lost six times out of the 27 fights he’s fought.

Take a closer look, however, and you’ll only see four. Shogun lost to Mark Coleman in a match where he broke his arm falling back from a Coleman takedown. A few years later he would avenge that “loss.”

In the UFC, Shogun has lost decisions to Dan Henderson and Lyoto Machida. The Machida match was highly disputed, so much that Shogun was given an immediate rematch, which he won.

 

Style

If there’s one thing you can count on in a Shogun fight is that it’s going to be a battle. He’s a one time KO of the Year winner and a two time Fight of the Year winner. His iron chin and champion’s heart keeps him in every fight.

And with 19 of his 21 wins coming by way of KO or submission, you can bet that 90 percent of the time, Shogun is going to finish the job.

 

Legacy

Shogun is still going strong today and can only hope to add to what has been a great career. As a PRIDE Grand Prix champion and UFC light heavyweight champion he has become one of the most decorated light heavyweights in MMA history.

His resume when put up against his contemporaries will be second to none, and the run he had in PRIDE will go down as one of the all-time greats. As he should.

So to the old school PRIDE fans, Shogun will be one of the all-time greats to ever put on a pair of 4-oz gloves. However on the flip side, one generation will remember him as the guy who got finished by Jon Jones after a long layoff.

The truth is that Shogun has quietly been the best light heavyweight ever to step foot in the ring or cage.

 

Don’t agree? Then feel free to debate it out in the comments.

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Alexander Gustafsson Confident Heading into Shogun Rua Bout

UFC light heavyweight Alexander Gustafsson has laid out his blueprint for victory in what he says will be his toughest fight ever. In an interview with MMA Fighting, the Swede revealed that his game plan against Shogun Rua will be similar to the one he…

UFC light heavyweight Alexander Gustafsson has laid out his blueprint for victory in what he says will be his toughest fight ever.

In an interview with MMA Fighting, the Swede revealed that his game plan against Shogun Rua will be similar to the one he implemented with devastating effect against Thiago Silva in his last match.

“I will try to stay on the outside and try to use my range and my footwork,” said Gustafsson. “You never know in a fight. Sometimes, you have to do things differently, take the initiative and adapt. It’s going to be a great fight for the fans. That’s for sure.”

Gustafsson and Rua will meet at UFC on Fox 5 in Seattle on December 8, 2012.

The match is crucial for both men as they seek a shot at Jon Jones’ title.

Rua is coming off a hard-earned win against Brandon Vera in a match that has put him back in the reckoning for the title he lost to Jones in 2011.

But for Gustafsson, a win will be a high point in a short but impressive career.

Gustafsson has won five straight fights in the unpredictable light heavyweight division, and many believe he is one of the only light heavyweights with the striking talent and range to seriously challenge Jones.

However, the fighter says for now his focus is not on the champion, but on Rua.

“I want to fight the champion. That’s my main goal: to bring the belt back to Sweden. That’s what I want to do, but I never look past any opponent,” said Gustafsson. “When I beat ‘Shogun,’ I will be more than prepared to fight for a title. That’s what I want to do.”

A win against Rua doesn’t guarantee the Swede a title shot, however. If Jones gets passed Chael Sonnen in his next fight, both Lyoto Machida and Dan Henderson are waiting in the wings. That’s not to forget Phil Davies, who also recently sealed an impressive win. 

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Alexander Gustafsson vs. Mauricio Rua Coud Be Title Eliminator

There’s word from UFC president Dana White himself that the UFC on Fox 5 co-main event featuring Alexander Gustafsson and Mauricio Rua in December could be a title eliminator. A few months ago, we were certain that Dan Henderson was the man Jon J…

There’s word from UFC president Dana White himself that the UFC on Fox 5 co-main event featuring Alexander Gustafsson and Mauricio Rua in December could be a title eliminator.

A few months ago, we were certain that Dan Henderson was the man Jon Jones would be facing in his next light heavyweight title defence after defeating Rashad Evans in April.

But an injury to Henderson, one from which we’re still not sure when he will recover, threw everything into chaos.

What made it worse was that two of the leading contenders, Rua and Lyoto Machida, seemed less than enthusiastic at the thought of stepping up.

Rua was supposed to be the next contender after he defeated Brandon Vera in August, but White changed his mind after his narrow victory. Then, later in the month, when Henderson pulled out, Machida was offered the fight, but he flat turned it down at the time, leaving the highly unusual decision to pit Vitor Belfort against the champion at UFC 152.

All these refusals and injuries have left no frontrunner for Jones’ next defence.

The UFC initially decided to have a Henderson vs. Machida fight as a title eliminator, but with Henderson sill on the mend, no date has been set for that fight.

Instead, White has now hinted that it would be either Rua, who lost the title to Jones in 2011, or rising star Alexander Gustafsson who will face Jones.

“It’ll put [Rua or Gustafsson] in the position [for a title shot],” White said of the co-main event (H/T MMA Junkie).

However, with Jones still out with an injury sustained during the Belfort fight, there’s still no telling what will happen between now and the time the champion is ready for his next opponent.

UFC on Fox 5 will take place on 8 December at the KeyArena in Seattle, Washington. The main event will feature a lightweight championship fight between Ben Henderson and Nate Diaz.

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UFC 153 Fight Card: Is Glover Teixeira More Than Just Hype?

With a record of 18-2, 16 straight wins, 11 knockouts and five submissions, it would seem that UFC light heavyweight Glover Teixeira is on his way to title contention. The one thing that is missing from Teixeira’s record though is a win over a top…

With a record of 18-2, 16 straight wins, 11 knockouts and five submissions, it would seem that UFC light heavyweight Glover Teixeira is on his way to title contention. 

The one thing that is missing from Teixeira’s record though is a win over a top-10 caliber fighter. 

Teixeira has defeated fighters who have had short stints in the UFC including Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou and Marvin Eastman. 

Teixeira also holds victories over TUF season three finalist Ed “Short Fuse” Herman and former UFC heavyweight champ Ricco Rodriguez. 

Aside from training under the great Chuck Liddell, it seems like the only thing Teixeira has on his side is the UFC hype machine. 

Dana White has been high on Teixeira since he joined the UFC this year. 

It’s not hard to understand why. 

Teixeira has great knockout power and has proved to be just as dangerous on the ground. 

But all of Teixeira’s hype has has not helped him gain a top light heavyweight fighter. 

After handing Kyle Kingsbury his first submission loss in his UFC debut, Teixeira was going to meet Mauricio “Shogun” Rua. 

But Rua turned down the fight. 

Teixeira was then set to meet Quinton “Rampage” Jackson at UFC 153, but injury forced Jackson out of the bout. 

The UFC tried to get yet another former champion, Rashad Evans, to step in, but Evans too turned the fight down. 

Now Teixeira is matched up against another fighter in Fabio Maldonado, who is not a top 10 fighter. 

This is a fight that Teixeira is supposed to win thanks to the hype he has coming into this fight. 

But a loss will send the 32-year-old Brazilian’s hype train crashing down. 

Teixeira has some impressive wins and thus far deserves some hype. 

But until he faces and defeats a top light heavyweight, it will be hard to say that he is more than just that—hype. 

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Lyoto Machida and Bushido: To Tap or Not to Tap?

Bushido is the way of the warrior—the way of Samurai life. Forged in feudal Japan, Bushido demands bravery and honor unto death. It’s interwoven with the fabric of martial arts. I’ve noticed that fans are quick to label MMA fighters as “war…

Bushido is the way of the warrior—the way of Samurai life. Forged in feudal Japan, Bushido demands bravery and honor unto death. It’s interwoven with the fabric of martial arts.

I’ve noticed that fans are quick to label MMA fighters as “warriors,” a delusion that fighters themselves believe. A fighter who fancies himself a “warrior” adheres to Bushido’s ancient code: Never surrender. A Samurai’s pride is swollen; he’ll never acknowledge defeat until he’s cold and limp. Neither will many mixed martial artists.

Many fighters brandish a Samurai’s spirit every time they’re locked in the Octagon. Bravery billows off of these “warriors” like smoke. They are revered as heroes, but that reverence can come at a price. Is Bushido archaic and reckless, or should we honor fighters who refuse to tap?

Guys like Enson Inoue, Chris Leben, Cheick Kongo and Urijah Faber among others have embodied Bushido. Inoue fell victim to monstrous beatdowns throughout his career, but he never submitted. Leben and Kongo have refused to tap, while Faber continued to fight Mike Brown at WEC 41 despite breaking his right hand in the middle of the fight.

Conversely, Georges St-Pierre and Mauricio Rua have each tapped to strikes, thereby shielding their health and future. Despite “giving up,” their accolades are exalted and their legacies are grand. You’ll find few objectors to the fact that Georges and “Shogun” are gushing with pride.

Lyoto Machida is perhaps MMA’s most hyperbolic “warrior.” That’s partially due to his extensive training in Japanese martial arts. Inheritor of Samurai blood, Machida would “rather die than tap,” as he stated during his post-fight interview at UFC 84.  

Machida supported that claim by refusing to give up after Tito Ortiz wrapped him in a triangle choke, and again when Jon Jones dropped him to the blood-soaked canvas with a guillotine choke at UFC 140.

I admire Lyoto Machida. I think his stubbornness is visceral and charming. Lyoto’s charm, however, doesn’t cloak his dangerous choices. In fact, there are severe consequences that come with refusing to tap.

Martialarts.com expounds the dangers of not tapping: blood chokes cut off cerebral blood flow (CBF). When CBF is blocked, brain tissue can be damaged or even die. Moreover, windpipe chokes compress the trachea, which can cause permanent tissue damage among a slew of other health issues. The outcome of allowing joint manipulation is obvious: Bones will shatter.

A broken bone demands time to heal. Time is a precious commodity for fighters. By discarding months of time that could be spent training and fighting, a sidelined fighter limits his career prospects and his earnings.

If a “warrior” submits to an armbar instead of permitting his arm to be snapped, he’s saving himself needless pain and months of inactivity. Alas, I’m afraid doing the sensible thing (tapping) comes at the expense of looking like a pansy.

By esteeming themselves as too honorable to submit, guys like Machida risk their careers, health and lives. Lyoto would be unable to purvey a warrior’s spirit if he was brain-dead or crippled. Grave injury is a possibility that crawls closer to reality every time MMA “warriors” refuse to submit.

Machida and his fellow Octagon “warriors” would be wise to shed the gruesome aspects of Bushido from their lives. 

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5 Best Non-Title Main Events in UFC History

When the UFC goes without a title fight in a main event you can be sure they call upon some of their most exciting fighters to fill the gaps.Over the course of UFC history they have given us a treasure trove of memories.Some happened on PPV and some of…

When the UFC goes without a title fight in a main event you can be sure they call upon some of their most exciting fighters to fill the gaps.

Over the course of UFC history they have given us a treasure trove of memories.

Some happened on PPV and some of these fights were given to fans on a silver platter, live and free on television. 2012 alone has given fans such exciting battles like The Korean Zombie vs. Dustin Poirier, Demetrious Johnson vs. Ian McCall, and Jake Ellenberger vs. Martin Kampmann.

The non-title events should not be overlooked when a great fight is signed. Sometimes they end up as the best fights, and cards, of the year.

Here are the top five non-title main events in UFC history.

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