Profile on Mauricio "Shogun" Rua
Breaking down the light heavyweight's fighting style
Posted on Monday, October 19, 2009 at 3:10 PM
By Jason Reynolds
The UFC light heavyweight title will be on the line October 24th in Los Angeles, California when current champion Lyoto "The Dragon" Machida makes his first title defense against fellow Brazilian Mauricio "Shogun" Rua.
Rua is coming off of a shocking knockout win at UFC 97 which saw him finish Chuck "Iceman" Liddell in the first round on strikes. Both Machida and Rua have enough in their arsenals to make this an outstanding main event.
Shogun started training in jiu-jitsu at an early age, when he became interested in the sport by watching his older brother Murilo "Ninja" Rua compete. Over years training with some of the best fighters in the world at 'Chute Boxe' Academy, Shogun earned his black belt and began studying Muay Thai and other combat disciplines. He is proficient on the ground and gifted on his feet, where fifteen of his eighteen wins came by KO or TKO.
His focus from the beginning was to be a world champion. Everyone around him knew that it was just a matter of time before the mixed martial arts prodigy reached that goal.
Standing at 6'1" and 205 pounds, Shogun is the ideal size for the light heavyweight division. He has spent most of his career fighting in Japan, occasionally jumping weight classes to fight against the best competition.
In 2005, he won the Pride Middleweight Grand Prix and was well on his way towards MMA stardom. Unfortunately, in his next match against Mark "The Hammer" Coleman, Rua suffered a freak accident in the early stages of the fight when he fell after a Coleman takedown attempt and dislocated his elbow. Soon after recovering from surgery, Shogun once again exploded on the Japanese MMA scene, registering four wins in a row, all in convincing fashion. This success prompted a move to the UFC and a shot at world-wide recognition.
Despite being considered one of the best light heavyweights in the world and a heavy favorite, Shogun lost in his Octagon debut to Forrest Griffin at UFC 76 by rear-naked choke late in the third round. His next fight in the UFC was a rematch with his former Pride nemesis Mark Coleman. Coleman didn't look his age that night and showed a lot of heart in a losing effort. Shogun, on the other hand, looked out of shape and, at times, sloppy, prompting many to wonder if he was past his prime.
To silence the critics, Shogun began training harder than he ever had before. He enlisted the help of long-time Chute Boxe striking coach Sergio Cunha, who has worked with some of the best in the sport, including Wanderlei Silva, Anderson Silva and BJ Penn. Cunha helped Shogun prepare for the Chuck Liddell fight, which showed MMA fans not familiar with organizations outside of the US a very polished and dynamic fighter. Even when Shogun made his entrance to the cage, people could see a vast difference. It didn't take long before Liddell was eating a Shogun left hook and laying flat on his back.
Shogun's strikes are calculated and precise, and put fear in the eyes of most opponents. With a career record of 18-3, Shogun has defeated many big-name fighters, including Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, Liddell and current Strikeforce heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem.
Something often overlooked is Shogun's takedown ability. He throws his punches to set up takedowns, and he's managed to put some of the best wrestlers in MMA on their backs. Assuming he can do the same against Machida – who hasn't really been tested much from his back – he will have more than a puncher's chance at claiming the belt.
Another tool that he utilizes well is kicks, which he throws with precision and regularity. Overall, Shogun is an experienced fighter with enormous talent, capable of winning a fight no matter where it ends up.
The main event at UFC 104 is a battle between similarly gifted fighters. If Shogun can push the pace and take command of the Octagon, he has a chance to put an end to the Machida era before it even begins.
MORE:
- Profile on Lyoto "The Dragon" Machida
- Photos: Machida's KOs, Kicks and Signature Moves
- Full MMA Coverage at MSG Fight Club
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