Mauricio "Shogun" Rua Interview

Mauricio “Shogun” Rua joined the UFC this summer after an illustrious career with PRIDE. His first match in the Octagon didn’t go as planned, however, as Rua succumbed to Forrest Griffin. Irish Whip Fighting caught up with Rua to see how he is doing.

Irish Whip Fighting: How is married life working out?

Mauricio "Shogun" Rua: It's ok. I'm moving [to] a new home -- an apartment here in Curitiba. There are a lot of things to arrange but I think that [by] Christmas I will be in my new home. Now that I am recovering from the surgery and not training it is good to use my free time to [over]see everything about my new home.

IWF: Can you tell us a little bit about the Forrest Griffin fight? Was he what you prepared for?

Rua: I don´t like to give excuses -- I lost and that's it, period. Nothing went right. I assume this -- the injury -- interfered in my training, in [especially] the kicks and [with running]. I had a lot of new things in my life: [a] wedding and a new home. But no problem, let´s move ahead. I don´t want to talk about the past, let´s see what is coming next. I'm very young and I know that I can get the UFC belt in the future. I will be back better than ever. All the fighters can follow [their] opponents, with the internet and the show[s] on TV. We can see the skills of our opponents -- Forrest was very well trained [and] I respect that.

IWF: How much did the hurt knee affect your ability to train and compete at your top level?

Rua: We are living a very professional moment in MMA [so] the difference between the fighters is very small. [It] was difficult to run and to kick with my injury and when you have some injury your confidence is not the same -- every time you are concern[ed] about it.

IWF: Do you think that you would train differently if you ever got the chance to fight him again?

Rua: For sure, probably in the future we will fight again. Now I'm thinking [about] my [recovery and] go[ing] back to train[ing] and let's see what's happen in the future.

IWF: Would you be interested in a rematch with Griffin in the future or are you looking ahead to Rampage Jackson?

Rua: I had the promise from UFC that with a victory against Forrest I would have a shot for the belt that actually is with Rampage. Unfortunately I lost [so it’s] necessary to review all the plans and I know that I will need to make a new journey for the belt.

IWF: What's been happening with Rampage? He got beat up bad by you and by Wanderlei Silva in PRIDE and now he looks like a different fighter. Would you expect a fight with him to go the same way as it did before?

Rua: Life is funny, no? Quinton Jackson comes to UFC after three terrible defeats in PRIDE ([losing to] me [once] and Wanderlei twice). Now, he has the UFC belt. I think that he has more experience now. After the victory against Liddell he is very confident and [it] is difficult to guarantee that one fight will be the same [as] an old one -- every fight is totally different from [the] other[s].

IWF: I was talking to “Big” John McCarthy not too long ago, and he said that PRIDE and UFC were very different due to the ring size. He said that he noticed that you were having trouble getting to Forrest because of the different angles of the UFC cage. However, when I talked to your brother Murilo, he said that whether it's in a ring or a cage doesn't matter. Who do you agree with here?

Rua: Yes, in the cage the fight is more aggressive -- there [are] no corners to give a break, but I already fought in the cage [so it’s] no problem. My defeat doesn't have any thing [to do] with the cage or ring.

IWF: Why do you think that PRIDE fighters are having such a tough time with UFC fighters?

Rua: [It] is just a coincidence. Just see Rampage -- he has the belt now. Do you think that he is having [a] tough time in UFC?

IWF: Do you prefer fighting in PRIDE or UFC?

Rua: No preference.

IWF: You've defeated most of the top 205-pounders. Which win was the biggest?

Rua: No one [is] the biggest, but there are some very important [wins] in my career. [My victory] against Minotauro [Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira] was very tough; [my win] against Rampage was very important in that moment; and for sure [my win] against [Ricardo] Arona when I won PRIDE Grand Prix.

IWF: Where do you rank yourself among the 205-pounders?

Rua: I run to be the number one. I want to be with the tops and fight against them.

IWF: Are there any fighters out there you'd like to fight?

Rua: No preference. I never choose opponents. Now that I lost, I can't think about [that]. I must fight and prove that I can have [the] UFC belt, no matter against whom.

IWF: Would you fight Wanderlei if he had the belt?

Editor’s note: Shogun did not respond to this question.

IWF: Who do you think will win the following fight: Murilo "Ninja" Rua vs. Xavier Foupa-Pokam?

Rua: Ninja for sure. He's training hard; he wants a lot the Cage Rage belt; [and] he deserves it.

IWF: Chuck Liddell vs. Wanderlei Silva?

Rua: Very tough fight. Both are very aggressive and [both are] strikers. I just know that this fight will finish before the second round.

IWF: "Shogun" Rua vs. Forrest Griffin II?

Rua: I want to be back in better shape, well prepared, and I know that I can beat him.

IWF: Alright, well do you have anything to say to your fans?

Rua: I have a lot of emails here from fans supporting me during my recovering, when you come from a defeat is very important to know that (there are) a lot of people that trust you, support you in the good and in the bad moments, I promise you all that I will be back better than ever.

(Originally conducted for MMA Madness)