Who will win UFC 97 Chuck"Iceman"Liddell vs Mauricio"Shogun"Rua?
- Thread starter Shogun Locc
- Start date
Ok so your saying that pride had a better 205 division than the ufc did during the wandy and chuck run that is laughable look at Chucks resume and the names he has beat and how bout the fact alot of Pride fighters were jacked up on roids. Chuck was knockin cats out on KFC and Ole English. Brown Guerrero showing chuck getin knocked down you are obvioulsy just a Chuck hater. I remember Rampage getting thrown into the ropes like a ragdoll and getting stomped the fuck out by Shogun and lets not even go there with wandy's highlight reel of getting KTFO. How long would Wandys run lasted had he fought in the UFC not that long since he couldnt even beet Tito. As far as Dana bringing chuck over to fight in pride was only to smash Wandy out because he knew that chuck would win which he did albeit a couple years later. Noboby was even talking about fedor for him to be brought up of course he is the greatest dude has never lost a fight IMO and might not even be human.
No Fedor is not a bigger MMA star than Chuck. Chuck has done more for MMA than anbody has or ever will period and if Pride was so much better than the UFC then why have most of the Pride fighters that come over get there asses handed to em. besides 2 Page and Hendu of course. Chuck has done more for MMA has or probably ever will than anyone
oh yeah guys like Paul Jones, Steve Heath, Kevin Randleman, Murilo Bustamante, Amar Suloev, Vernon White, and Jeremy Horn were better then Wanderlei silva, Mauricio Rua, Antonio Noguiera, Ricardo Arona, Igor vovchanchyn, Dan henderson Quinton Jackson (who owns Chuck) You think fighters in the UFC didn't roid
Point is Chuck never was and never will be the best 205 fighter on the planet. Also just because Pride didn't test for juice doesn't mean UFC fighters never used anything. Look at all the fighters getting caught nowadays. And wtf are you talking about pride fighters getting whooped?
Anderson Silva - MW champ and the most dominant fighter in the ufc
Rampage - former LHW champ and will probably be again
Big Nog - former interim HW champ
Fedor - whooped every single UFC ex-HW champ he's faced
Also i'm far from a Chuck hater. I've rooted for him plenty of times and you can even search the posts here if you want. Most recently being Rashad vs Chuck.
Anderson Silva - MW champ and the most dominant fighter in the ufc
Rampage - former LHW champ and will probably be again
Big Nog - former interim HW champ
Fedor - whooped every single UFC ex-HW champ he's faced
Also i'm far from a Chuck hater. I've rooted for him plenty of times and you can even search the posts here if you want. Most recently being Rashad vs Chuck.
Nobody in this thread said Chuck was the best 205er but def one of them. Anytime anybody wants to give Liddell props all the pride nuthuggers freakout it pretty damn entertaining i dont really get it, just seems like hatin to me. Just for shits and gigs tell me who a better resume than Chuck Liddell at 205 or shit in any weight class besides Fedor.
Chuck Liddell’s Last Call
Two years ago, Chuck Liddell’s considerable cranial real estate -- mowed into a Mohawk, landscaped with kanji tattoos -- was synonymous with the UFC. More importantly, synonymous with the idea of an upstart combat sport that was more dynamic, more dangerous and subsequently more engrossing than boxing.
Jack Dempsey, Joe Louis: These were straight guys, your grandfather’s idea of a badass. Liddell looked like a video game thug, and fought like one, too: predictable patterns of movement, trademark moves -- watch the overhand right -- and beatable only with considerable practice and a faultless attack.
In a sport in which belts frequently have the turnover rate of a McDonald’s, Liddell stayed on top for an auspiciously long time. He was undefeated from late 2003 until mid-2007, largely avoiding the suspense of any outcome other than an opponent lying crushed at his feet. He was rarely victimized, partied hard and mumbled his way through pioneering endorsement deals: Warner Bros., Dell, Nyquil.
But what made Liddell so good at being an assailant -- a planted, aggressive stance, a good chin, peerless takedown defense courtesy of a hydraulic core -- also made him predictable. Quinton Jackson sent a hook postmarked for his jaw before Liddell could even retract a body shot. Rashad Evans commented that he telegraphed his violence with his facial expressions, a handicap that might be OK in “Punch-Out” but has more severe consequences in real life.
Liddell is a performance car slowly running out of gas. But considering his next race is against a jalopy, he might have enough left in him to finish some laps.
Since entering the UFC in the fall of 2007, Mauricio “Shogun” Rua has undergone one of the more curious transformations in athletics. Previously an inexhaustible bundle of aggression, stomping on faces as if he were putting out a fire, Rua turned meek virtually overnight. Against Forrest Griffin, he was smothered, tired out and eventually submitted. Against Mark Coleman, he looked as though he had finished a triathlon only minutes before the show. (Fortunately, the 45-year-old Coleman looked as if he had a lung removed, so things balanced out nicely.)
To gain any real measure of Liddell’s current abilities, he would probably need to face someone with fewer question marks. The Rua he faces Saturday at UFC 97 is not the terror from Japan, but an air-sucking impersonator. Dana White has instructed Liddell to “dazzle” him. If Rua’s conditioning issues persist, Liddell is going to make like a strobe light.
And if not? If Rua delivers the third brutal finish in Liddell’s last five fights? It calls into question -- and a fair one, I believe -- of taking into consideration an athlete’s sustained damage when granting them licensure. The NFL’s demanding schedule and suck-it-up attitude has spawned a small but disturbing trend of retired players who suffered multiple concussions in their careers and went on to a retirement of forgotten appointments, lost car keys and substantial cognitive impairment.
I’m not an MD, but I doubt JAMA is going to take any issue with this statement: Getting bashed in the head isn’t good for your health.
It likely doesn’t bother Liddell. It shouldn’t: He’s a fighter with the necessary pride and ego to do what he does for a living and not turn into a simpering mess on fight night. But it should bother commissions charged with his safety.
Not that they’re the sole authority on his health. Personal responsibility is still the sport’s first defense against unconsciousness, and Liddell is doing a lot of the right things. He’s trained with American Top Team to open his game, re-install a threat of wrestling and add to his armory. He undoubtedly has power -- it’s often the last thing to go -- and a probable desire to erase the lingering distaste of his recent defeats.
The problem is, the right things may come after too many years of doing the wrong things. Never having shadowed Liddell in his nocturnal element, I can’t speculate on what he’s done to decompress from his day job. But Liddell himself -- or more accurately, his ghostwriter -- has written in his autobiography of wild nights that re-define decadence. The grimy TMZ.com also has a Chuck Liddell page, much of which consists of Liddell preparing to test his cardio conditioning against another gender.
Hedonism is a young man’s game; so is fighting. You can occasionally break one mold or the other, but you can’t take on both and expect to come out with anything less than one hell of a hangover.
And if Liddell has a cure, he needs to mix it up on Saturday. In more ways than one.
Two years ago, Chuck Liddell’s considerable cranial real estate -- mowed into a Mohawk, landscaped with kanji tattoos -- was synonymous with the UFC. More importantly, synonymous with the idea of an upstart combat sport that was more dynamic, more dangerous and subsequently more engrossing than boxing.
Jack Dempsey, Joe Louis: These were straight guys, your grandfather’s idea of a badass. Liddell looked like a video game thug, and fought like one, too: predictable patterns of movement, trademark moves -- watch the overhand right -- and beatable only with considerable practice and a faultless attack.
In a sport in which belts frequently have the turnover rate of a McDonald’s, Liddell stayed on top for an auspiciously long time. He was undefeated from late 2003 until mid-2007, largely avoiding the suspense of any outcome other than an opponent lying crushed at his feet. He was rarely victimized, partied hard and mumbled his way through pioneering endorsement deals: Warner Bros., Dell, Nyquil.
But what made Liddell so good at being an assailant -- a planted, aggressive stance, a good chin, peerless takedown defense courtesy of a hydraulic core -- also made him predictable. Quinton Jackson sent a hook postmarked for his jaw before Liddell could even retract a body shot. Rashad Evans commented that he telegraphed his violence with his facial expressions, a handicap that might be OK in “Punch-Out” but has more severe consequences in real life.
Liddell is a performance car slowly running out of gas. But considering his next race is against a jalopy, he might have enough left in him to finish some laps.
Since entering the UFC in the fall of 2007, Mauricio “Shogun” Rua has undergone one of the more curious transformations in athletics. Previously an inexhaustible bundle of aggression, stomping on faces as if he were putting out a fire, Rua turned meek virtually overnight. Against Forrest Griffin, he was smothered, tired out and eventually submitted. Against Mark Coleman, he looked as though he had finished a triathlon only minutes before the show. (Fortunately, the 45-year-old Coleman looked as if he had a lung removed, so things balanced out nicely.)
To gain any real measure of Liddell’s current abilities, he would probably need to face someone with fewer question marks. The Rua he faces Saturday at UFC 97 is not the terror from Japan, but an air-sucking impersonator. Dana White has instructed Liddell to “dazzle” him. If Rua’s conditioning issues persist, Liddell is going to make like a strobe light.
And if not? If Rua delivers the third brutal finish in Liddell’s last five fights? It calls into question -- and a fair one, I believe -- of taking into consideration an athlete’s sustained damage when granting them licensure. The NFL’s demanding schedule and suck-it-up attitude has spawned a small but disturbing trend of retired players who suffered multiple concussions in their careers and went on to a retirement of forgotten appointments, lost car keys and substantial cognitive impairment.
I’m not an MD, but I doubt JAMA is going to take any issue with this statement: Getting bashed in the head isn’t good for your health.
It likely doesn’t bother Liddell. It shouldn’t: He’s a fighter with the necessary pride and ego to do what he does for a living and not turn into a simpering mess on fight night. But it should bother commissions charged with his safety.
Not that they’re the sole authority on his health. Personal responsibility is still the sport’s first defense against unconsciousness, and Liddell is doing a lot of the right things. He’s trained with American Top Team to open his game, re-install a threat of wrestling and add to his armory. He undoubtedly has power -- it’s often the last thing to go -- and a probable desire to erase the lingering distaste of his recent defeats.
The problem is, the right things may come after too many years of doing the wrong things. Never having shadowed Liddell in his nocturnal element, I can’t speculate on what he’s done to decompress from his day job. But Liddell himself -- or more accurately, his ghostwriter -- has written in his autobiography of wild nights that re-define decadence. The grimy TMZ.com also has a Chuck Liddell page, much of which consists of Liddell preparing to test his cardio conditioning against another gender.
Hedonism is a young man’s game; so is fighting. You can occasionally break one mold or the other, but you can’t take on both and expect to come out with anything less than one hell of a hangover.
And if Liddell has a cure, he needs to mix it up on Saturday. In more ways than one.
ATT's Villefort Lends Liddell Helping Hand
Few mixed martial artists can match the star power of a Chuck Liddell, so when an opportunity to work alongside the former UFC light heavyweight champion presented itself, Danillo Villefort leaped at it.
After two impressive wins in high-profile American MMA events, one by technical knockout and another by submission, Villefort signed with the UFC. While he has yet to set foot inside the hallowed Octagon, the one-time Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion was invited to help train Liddell in advance of his UFC 97 showdown with Mauricio “Shogun” Rua this Saturday at the Bell Centre in Montreal.
American Top Team founder Ricardo Liborio connected Villefort with Liddell.
“He’s a good friend of Chuck’s coach, John Hackleman,” Villefort said. “John needed someone to help him on the ground. Liborio invited me, and I accepted immediately. Chuck’s a legend in MMA.”
The once-unstoppable Liddell (21-6) has lost three of his past four fights and has not appeared inside the cage since his brutal knockout loss to reigning 205-pound king Rashad Evans at UFC 88 in September. Still, the 39-year-old striker owns an impeccable resume, with multiple wins against UFC hall of famer Randy Couture, former light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz and current Strikeforce light heavyweight titleholder Renato Sobral. He has also defeated Wanderlei Silva, Vitor Belfort and reigning Strikeforce heavyweight titleholder Alistair Overeem.
Liddell’s attention to detail at and away from the gym impressed Villefort.
“One thing that really impressed me was the professional way he takes care of his diet,” he said. “Before coming here, I thought Gesias [Cavalcante] was the master in that aspect, but Chuck is the most impressive I’ve ever seen in my whole life. His diet is totally natural. He has a nutritionist who takes care of his diet for the whole week. When I told American Top Team people about it, they didn’t think I was serious. Because of Chuck’s natural belly, many people have the wrong idea about him, but this guy is a real example of how a professional should behave.”
Rua (17-3) has endured a stunning fall from grace since he won the Pride middleweight grand prix in 2005. The flashy 27-year-old Brazilian last fought in January, when he stopped UFC hall of famer Mark Coleman on third-round strikes in a sloppy performance that was universally panned. That followed his submission loss to Forrest Griffin at UFC 76 and two subsequent knee surgeries. Still, his past accomplishments cannot be ignored. He holds a pair of knockout wins against Overeem and another against Quinton “Rampage” Jackson -- the only man to defeat Liddell twice.
Villefort sees strength in both light heavyweights.
“Shogun is more versatile and young, but Liddell looks more determined, focused and calm,” he said. “I had a totally different view of him before coming here.”
Rua’s gas tank may prove the deciding factor in who walks out of the Octagon victorious at UFC 97, according to Villefort.
“This is a very difficult fight to predict,” he said. “Both are top strikers, so anything can happen, but if the fight goes past the second round, I believe Liddell will swallow Shogun. His cardio is just unbelievable.”
As the son of Francisco Pereira da Silva -- a renowned vale tudo fighter from the 1950s -- Villefort has established his own identity in the combat sports world. The 25-year-old recently opened an ATT branch in Miami and plans to use the time he spent with Liddell as a springboard into his UFC debut later this summer.
“I’ve just signed a contract with the UFC,” Villefort said. “I must fight in August. I’ve been training really hard for that.”
Few mixed martial artists can match the star power of a Chuck Liddell, so when an opportunity to work alongside the former UFC light heavyweight champion presented itself, Danillo Villefort leaped at it.
After two impressive wins in high-profile American MMA events, one by technical knockout and another by submission, Villefort signed with the UFC. While he has yet to set foot inside the hallowed Octagon, the one-time Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion was invited to help train Liddell in advance of his UFC 97 showdown with Mauricio “Shogun” Rua this Saturday at the Bell Centre in Montreal.
American Top Team founder Ricardo Liborio connected Villefort with Liddell.
“He’s a good friend of Chuck’s coach, John Hackleman,” Villefort said. “John needed someone to help him on the ground. Liborio invited me, and I accepted immediately. Chuck’s a legend in MMA.”
The once-unstoppable Liddell (21-6) has lost three of his past four fights and has not appeared inside the cage since his brutal knockout loss to reigning 205-pound king Rashad Evans at UFC 88 in September. Still, the 39-year-old striker owns an impeccable resume, with multiple wins against UFC hall of famer Randy Couture, former light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz and current Strikeforce light heavyweight titleholder Renato Sobral. He has also defeated Wanderlei Silva, Vitor Belfort and reigning Strikeforce heavyweight titleholder Alistair Overeem.
Liddell’s attention to detail at and away from the gym impressed Villefort.
“One thing that really impressed me was the professional way he takes care of his diet,” he said. “Before coming here, I thought Gesias [Cavalcante] was the master in that aspect, but Chuck is the most impressive I’ve ever seen in my whole life. His diet is totally natural. He has a nutritionist who takes care of his diet for the whole week. When I told American Top Team people about it, they didn’t think I was serious. Because of Chuck’s natural belly, many people have the wrong idea about him, but this guy is a real example of how a professional should behave.”
Rua (17-3) has endured a stunning fall from grace since he won the Pride middleweight grand prix in 2005. The flashy 27-year-old Brazilian last fought in January, when he stopped UFC hall of famer Mark Coleman on third-round strikes in a sloppy performance that was universally panned. That followed his submission loss to Forrest Griffin at UFC 76 and two subsequent knee surgeries. Still, his past accomplishments cannot be ignored. He holds a pair of knockout wins against Overeem and another against Quinton “Rampage” Jackson -- the only man to defeat Liddell twice.
Villefort sees strength in both light heavyweights.
“Shogun is more versatile and young, but Liddell looks more determined, focused and calm,” he said. “I had a totally different view of him before coming here.”
Rua’s gas tank may prove the deciding factor in who walks out of the Octagon victorious at UFC 97, according to Villefort.
“This is a very difficult fight to predict,” he said. “Both are top strikers, so anything can happen, but if the fight goes past the second round, I believe Liddell will swallow Shogun. His cardio is just unbelievable.”
As the son of Francisco Pereira da Silva -- a renowned vale tudo fighter from the 1950s -- Villefort has established his own identity in the combat sports world. The 25-year-old recently opened an ATT branch in Miami and plans to use the time he spent with Liddell as a springboard into his UFC debut later this summer.
“I’ve just signed a contract with the UFC,” Villefort said. “I must fight in August. I’ve been training really hard for that.”
MAURICIO "SHOGUN" RUA: DEFINING A CAREER
There have been challenges of several varieties in Mauricio “Shogun” Rua’s young UFC career. He’s had serious injuries. He’s gotten married. He’s retooled his training regimen. On top of all that, his viewing public has expected perfection in the cage.
But after a quick turnaround from a disappointing victory – a term that exists only for fighters thought untouchable – against Mark Coleman at UFC 93, he says he’s back on track and ready for Chuck Liddell.
"I can tell you that I’m feeling much more prepared and much more confident right now,” Rua said in a media teleconference for this Saturday’s UFC 97. “When I fought Coleman, like it or not, I stayed almost one year and a half sidelined, and like it or not, this gets in the way of the training and physical condition.”
The Dublin fight was his first since two knee injuries took him out of the game for more than a year. Coleman wouldn't be put away, and Rua gassed midway through the fight, feeling the sudden effects of poor conditioning.
Afterwards, Rua moved from his home in Curitiba, Brazil, to Sao Paulo, where he picked up a new crew of trainers, including middleweight prospect Demian Maia, to help him prepare for the fight in Montreal.
Because he was away from home, he couldn’t get comfortable. And by all indications, that was the problem. Following the scattering of his former Chute Boxe team, he had gotten into a routine that wasn’t challenging him, and the injuries had sidetracked him further. Life had gotten in the way.
A change in scenery turned out to be the missing ingredient for success.
“For sure, it helped, and it has helped me mainly because of the focus,” Rua said. “Sometimes when we’re at home, we get a little acquainted and we tend to get distracted with problems and not push ourselves to the limit. So I think moving to another city got me 100-percent focused on the fight and I can tell that I feel much more prepared.”
If there’s a theme to his assurances, it’s preparation. He knows he’s due for the relentless, acrobatic performances that have marked his early career and made him a crown jewel of the UFC’s purchase of Pride two years ago. His prestige has taken a hit, but he still has the opportunity to turn it around.
“I know my potential, and I know that it’s only up to me to reverse this,” said Rua.
UFC cameras caught Dana White offering Rua the Liddell fight in the locker room after his victory over Coleman. He said yes, but it was hard to read his reaction to the news. Eventually, he gave a smile and sealed the deal with a handshake.
Despite the criticism he took for the Coleman performance, and maybe because of it, he believes he is primed well for Liddell.
“I only stopped for one week after the fight and already began training camp, and that training camp kept me with the training rhythm,” said Rua.
On Saturday, he’ll motivate himself with the expectations of others.
“I think it’s a weight in my favor, and pushes me forward,” he said. “This wasn’t any extra pressure in a bad way. I’m very focused on turning this into motivation and presenting my top game to the American audience."
There have been challenges of several varieties in Mauricio “Shogun” Rua’s young UFC career. He’s had serious injuries. He’s gotten married. He’s retooled his training regimen. On top of all that, his viewing public has expected perfection in the cage.
But after a quick turnaround from a disappointing victory – a term that exists only for fighters thought untouchable – against Mark Coleman at UFC 93, he says he’s back on track and ready for Chuck Liddell.
"I can tell you that I’m feeling much more prepared and much more confident right now,” Rua said in a media teleconference for this Saturday’s UFC 97. “When I fought Coleman, like it or not, I stayed almost one year and a half sidelined, and like it or not, this gets in the way of the training and physical condition.”
The Dublin fight was his first since two knee injuries took him out of the game for more than a year. Coleman wouldn't be put away, and Rua gassed midway through the fight, feeling the sudden effects of poor conditioning.
Afterwards, Rua moved from his home in Curitiba, Brazil, to Sao Paulo, where he picked up a new crew of trainers, including middleweight prospect Demian Maia, to help him prepare for the fight in Montreal.
Because he was away from home, he couldn’t get comfortable. And by all indications, that was the problem. Following the scattering of his former Chute Boxe team, he had gotten into a routine that wasn’t challenging him, and the injuries had sidetracked him further. Life had gotten in the way.
A change in scenery turned out to be the missing ingredient for success.
“For sure, it helped, and it has helped me mainly because of the focus,” Rua said. “Sometimes when we’re at home, we get a little acquainted and we tend to get distracted with problems and not push ourselves to the limit. So I think moving to another city got me 100-percent focused on the fight and I can tell that I feel much more prepared.”
If there’s a theme to his assurances, it’s preparation. He knows he’s due for the relentless, acrobatic performances that have marked his early career and made him a crown jewel of the UFC’s purchase of Pride two years ago. His prestige has taken a hit, but he still has the opportunity to turn it around.
“I know my potential, and I know that it’s only up to me to reverse this,” said Rua.
UFC cameras caught Dana White offering Rua the Liddell fight in the locker room after his victory over Coleman. He said yes, but it was hard to read his reaction to the news. Eventually, he gave a smile and sealed the deal with a handshake.
Despite the criticism he took for the Coleman performance, and maybe because of it, he believes he is primed well for Liddell.
“I only stopped for one week after the fight and already began training camp, and that training camp kept me with the training rhythm,” said Rua.
On Saturday, he’ll motivate himself with the expectations of others.
“I think it’s a weight in my favor, and pushes me forward,” he said. “This wasn’t any extra pressure in a bad way. I’m very focused on turning this into motivation and presenting my top game to the American audience."
John Hackelman interview You will see a lot more skills from Chuck now
http://www.fighthype.com/pages/content4735.html
http://www.fighthype.com/pages/content4735.html
‘Shogun’ Approaches UFC 97 Crossroads
Once viewed by many as the world’s premier light heavyweight, Mauricio “Shogun” Rua has encountered his share of adversity since he left the confines of the Pride Fighting Championships ring. Two fights and as many knee surgeries into his UFC career, the Brazilian has yet to recapture the magic.
Now days away from his long-awaited showdown with Chuck Liddell at UFC 97 “Redemption” this Saturday at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Rua touts his decision to make radical changes to his training regimen as a reason to believe in him again. Besides moving to Sao Paulo, Brazil -- where he spent the last five weeks training three times a day with top professionals like middleweight contender Demian Maia, wrestling coach Renato Roma and conditioning expert Eric Haddad -- Rua also hired Chute Boxe Academy trainer Sergio Cunha, one of the most respected men in Brazil.
“Cunha is my head coach, and he’s a very complete guy,” Rua said. “He organizes my training schedule. I’m very happy with him, and I hope I have a longtime partnership with him.”
Rua (17-3) knows his bout with Liddell, billed as the co-main event at UFC 97, represents a pivotal moment in his career.
“All my fights were important in my life, but I see this fight as the most important,” Rua said. “Liddell is a guy who deserves respect, a top fighter, but I see myself victorious in this fight.”
Since he entered the UFC, Rua’s conditioning -- or lack of it -- has come under heavy scrutiny. As such, Haddad has kept the magnetic Brazilian closer to the 205-pound threshold for light heavyweights.
“I’m weighing 215 pounds,” Rua said. “I was at 226 pounds, but Eric told me to stay at 215 and lose just few pounds for the fight.”
An impressive victory against “The Iceman” could thrust Rua into title contention, though he refuses to look past the considerable challenge in front of him.
“I don’t think about that,” he said. “I have to show the American fans my work. I feel that I owe it to them, so it depends on me overcoming myself. I know where I can go. I’m focused, and I’ll be 100 percent in this fight to show all my potential to the world.”
In his prime, the 27-year-old Rua’s UFC career has been a struggle thus far. He entered the Octagon for the first time as a heavy favorite and was promptly submitted by Forrest Griffin at UFC 76. After the defeat, he left the Chute Boxe Academy and started his own team -- the Universidade da Luta -- with older brother Murilo. Reconstructive knee surgery followed, too.
Rua has prepared for Liddell before. Booked for a bout against the future hall of famer at UFC 85 last summer, Rua re-injured his knee, underwent a second surgery and bowed out of the fight. It remains one of the low points of his career.
“The worst moment was when I injured my knee for the second time,” he said. “I was confirmed against Liddell and in a great shape, very focused, but unfortunately I had a new injury. It was like someone put a knife into my chest.”
One year and four months after he faced Griffin, “Shogun” returned to the cage and defeated Mark Coleman at UFC 93. Still, he did not resemble anything close to the man who blitzed through the 2005 Pride middleweight grand prix in Japan. Though he stopped Coleman in their rematch in January, Rua decided to alter his training afterward.
“It has changed all my preparation,” he said. “I’m 100 percent focused on training; my life here is a routine. Very early in the morning, I leave home and go to the gym. I’m training three times a day. I was with good trainers [before I fought Coleman], but I wasn’t this focused. Maybe it was because I was at home with my family, and I was a little relaxed. Here, I have more motivation.”
Critics came out of the woodwork after Rua’s lackluster effort against Coleman, and he uses their words to spur him forward. Ring rust may have also played a part in his performance.
“I went a year and a half without fighting, and I feel I lost my rhythm a little, but now I’m back,” Rua said. “I was calm and well-trained, wasn’t tense; it was lack of fight rhythm.”
In advance of his UFC 97 appearance, Rua drew on the experience of former Chute Boxe Academy teammate and longtime friend Wanderlei Silva, who battled Liddell to a unanimous decision loss at UFC 79 in 2007.
“I spoke with him last month in Las Vegas,” Rua said. “He said that [Liddell] is a good athlete and hits hard, but he said that if I get there and I’m in good shape, I will beat him. Wanderlei is a guy who I look up to. I’m a big fan of his, besides being his friend, and he gave me some good tips. I’m focused on training, me and my whole team. Wanderlei said that if I get there with full gas, I win this fight.”
Silva offered Rua an open invitation to his Las Vegas gym.
“To prepare for this fight, I decided to stay here,” Rua said. “Next time, I’ll go there. Wanderlei has an open door here with us and opened the doors of his gym to me. He invited me to train there with him. As soon as I fight in Las Vegas, I’ll train with him. I’m his close friend, and I’ll be cool there.”
Once viewed by many as the world’s premier light heavyweight, Mauricio “Shogun” Rua has encountered his share of adversity since he left the confines of the Pride Fighting Championships ring. Two fights and as many knee surgeries into his UFC career, the Brazilian has yet to recapture the magic.
Now days away from his long-awaited showdown with Chuck Liddell at UFC 97 “Redemption” this Saturday at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Rua touts his decision to make radical changes to his training regimen as a reason to believe in him again. Besides moving to Sao Paulo, Brazil -- where he spent the last five weeks training three times a day with top professionals like middleweight contender Demian Maia, wrestling coach Renato Roma and conditioning expert Eric Haddad -- Rua also hired Chute Boxe Academy trainer Sergio Cunha, one of the most respected men in Brazil.
“Cunha is my head coach, and he’s a very complete guy,” Rua said. “He organizes my training schedule. I’m very happy with him, and I hope I have a longtime partnership with him.”
Rua (17-3) knows his bout with Liddell, billed as the co-main event at UFC 97, represents a pivotal moment in his career.
“All my fights were important in my life, but I see this fight as the most important,” Rua said. “Liddell is a guy who deserves respect, a top fighter, but I see myself victorious in this fight.”
Since he entered the UFC, Rua’s conditioning -- or lack of it -- has come under heavy scrutiny. As such, Haddad has kept the magnetic Brazilian closer to the 205-pound threshold for light heavyweights.
“I’m weighing 215 pounds,” Rua said. “I was at 226 pounds, but Eric told me to stay at 215 and lose just few pounds for the fight.”
An impressive victory against “The Iceman” could thrust Rua into title contention, though he refuses to look past the considerable challenge in front of him.
“I don’t think about that,” he said. “I have to show the American fans my work. I feel that I owe it to them, so it depends on me overcoming myself. I know where I can go. I’m focused, and I’ll be 100 percent in this fight to show all my potential to the world.”
In his prime, the 27-year-old Rua’s UFC career has been a struggle thus far. He entered the Octagon for the first time as a heavy favorite and was promptly submitted by Forrest Griffin at UFC 76. After the defeat, he left the Chute Boxe Academy and started his own team -- the Universidade da Luta -- with older brother Murilo. Reconstructive knee surgery followed, too.
Rua has prepared for Liddell before. Booked for a bout against the future hall of famer at UFC 85 last summer, Rua re-injured his knee, underwent a second surgery and bowed out of the fight. It remains one of the low points of his career.
“The worst moment was when I injured my knee for the second time,” he said. “I was confirmed against Liddell and in a great shape, very focused, but unfortunately I had a new injury. It was like someone put a knife into my chest.”
One year and four months after he faced Griffin, “Shogun” returned to the cage and defeated Mark Coleman at UFC 93. Still, he did not resemble anything close to the man who blitzed through the 2005 Pride middleweight grand prix in Japan. Though he stopped Coleman in their rematch in January, Rua decided to alter his training afterward.
“It has changed all my preparation,” he said. “I’m 100 percent focused on training; my life here is a routine. Very early in the morning, I leave home and go to the gym. I’m training three times a day. I was with good trainers [before I fought Coleman], but I wasn’t this focused. Maybe it was because I was at home with my family, and I was a little relaxed. Here, I have more motivation.”
Critics came out of the woodwork after Rua’s lackluster effort against Coleman, and he uses their words to spur him forward. Ring rust may have also played a part in his performance.
“I went a year and a half without fighting, and I feel I lost my rhythm a little, but now I’m back,” Rua said. “I was calm and well-trained, wasn’t tense; it was lack of fight rhythm.”
In advance of his UFC 97 appearance, Rua drew on the experience of former Chute Boxe Academy teammate and longtime friend Wanderlei Silva, who battled Liddell to a unanimous decision loss at UFC 79 in 2007.
“I spoke with him last month in Las Vegas,” Rua said. “He said that [Liddell] is a good athlete and hits hard, but he said that if I get there and I’m in good shape, I will beat him. Wanderlei is a guy who I look up to. I’m a big fan of his, besides being his friend, and he gave me some good tips. I’m focused on training, me and my whole team. Wanderlei said that if I get there with full gas, I win this fight.”
Silva offered Rua an open invitation to his Las Vegas gym.
“To prepare for this fight, I decided to stay here,” Rua said. “Next time, I’ll go there. Wanderlei has an open door here with us and opened the doors of his gym to me. He invited me to train there with him. As soon as I fight in Las Vegas, I’ll train with him. I’m his close friend, and I’ll be cool there.”
Did you look for and pick out the weakest of Chuck's victories because that's exactly what it looks like. You're better than that. When I look at Rampage' resume, I see it as being inferior to Chuck Liddell's.
I'm looking at all the fighters getting caught nowadays and I don't see much. At least not much in terms of worthy top-fighters. There are a few here and there but that's it. Pride fighters were not tested for steroids and we all know what a little juice can do for you. That is a gaping hole.
1. Your opinion that Liddell was never the best 205 fighter is just that, an opinion, and not fact.
2. UFC 66 (Liddell-Ortiz 2) had over a million PPV buys which is the current record for UFC events. Clearly UFC rose to mainstream status before the buyout of PRIDE.
Has no one bothered to mention the fact that he is nearing 40 years old?
HahahAh, my God.
I'm looking at all the fighters getting caught nowadays and I don't see much. At least not much in terms of worthy top-fighters. There are a few here and there but that's it. Pride fighters were not tested for steroids and we all know what a little juice can do for you. That is a gaping hole.
1. Your opinion that Liddell was never the best 205 fighter is just that, an opinion, and not fact.
2. UFC 66 (Liddell-Ortiz 2) had over a million PPV buys which is the current record for UFC events. Clearly UFC rose to mainstream status before the buyout of PRIDE.
Has no one bothered to mention the fact that he is nearing 40 years old?
HahahAh, my God.
Name all the top ten guys he fought in the UFC during his tear at 205lbs before loosing the belt.
Name all the fighters in PRIDE that were taking steriods.
How many top ten guys did Chuck beat in the UFC during his tear at 205lbs?
Mainstream status in the US not world wide and they had not even done any international shows.
Look what Randy did at 40 getting the belt in 2 weight classes. Randy has no belt now but he showed that he could hang until getting Koed by Chuck and Brock.
Name all the fighters in PRIDE that were taking steriods.
How many top ten guys did Chuck beat in the UFC during his tear at 205lbs?
Mainstream status in the US not world wide and they had not even done any international shows.
Look what Randy did at 40 getting the belt in 2 weight classes. Randy has no belt now but he showed that he could hang until getting Koed by Chuck and Brock.
He only fought 13 different fighters in the UFC before losing his belt. I don't feel that it's necessary to name the top 10 out of 13.
Name all the fighters that weren't! Point is, in a sport where strength is a key commponent to winning, combined with the absence of drug testing, it is commong sense that there is steroid use.
Let me just whip out my 2000-2006 UFC LH rankings. Seriously though, I could name around 4-5 (three of which he has fought 2 or 3 times) - that's eliminating those who he beat out of his prime (which really only includes Silva) and those who he fought in Pride. The better question is, of the top 10 fighters that he was matched up against, how many did he beat?
It doesn't matter if they moved on to intergalactic status, the numbers/sales don't lie.
Let me hear you say being 40 has no barring on your ability to fight.
Come on. Otherwise your "arguing" for arguments sake.
Name all the fighters that weren't! Point is, in a sport where strength is a key commponent to winning, combined with the absence of drug testing, it is commong sense that there is steroid use.
Let me just whip out my 2000-2006 UFC LH rankings. Seriously though, I could name around 4-5 (three of which he has fought 2 or 3 times) - that's eliminating those who he beat out of his prime (which really only includes Silva) and those who he fought in Pride. The better question is, of the top 10 fighters that he was matched up against, how many did he beat?
It doesn't matter if they moved on to intergalactic status, the numbers/sales don't lie.
Let me hear you say being 40 has no barring on your ability to fight.
Come on. Otherwise your "arguing" for arguments sake.