Despite the widespread rumors to the contrary, Mauricio “Shogun” Rua has not suffered a serious brain injury. In fact, he is getting ready to head back home to Brazil.
It seems to happen after every major Ultimate Fighting Championship event. Rumors and speculation abound. The leading buzz after UFC 76 in Anaheim, Calif. on Saturday night – where Rua lost his UFC debut to Ultimate Fighter veteran Forrest Griffin – was that Rua had suffered a serious brain injury, leaving him in serious condition.
Not so says Chute Boxe jiu-jitsu coach Cristiano Marcello. “Everything is fine,” said Marcello when asked about Rua’s physical condition. “I just had breakfast with him [Monday] morning in Hollywood. He is getting ready to go back home to Brazil [on Tuesday]. Everything is cool, he’s perfect.”
It is good to know that, at least physically, Rua has not suffered any serious repercussions from his third-round submission to Griffin’s rear naked choke. But the questions still abound about what happened in his UFC debut, where the world’s top-ranked light heavyweight fighter, especially as the fight wore on, tended to look lackluster.
“It’s a fight,” said Marcello, making no excuses. “Someone has to win, someone has to lose. Forrest was the better fighter that night.
“The first two rounds, I think [Rua] wins. The third, [Griffin] was a little bit better and he caught him. It happens. He is going to go [home] to train hard and get better.”
It seems to happen after every major Ultimate Fighting Championship event. Rumors and speculation abound. The leading buzz after UFC 76 in Anaheim, Calif. on Saturday night – where Rua lost his UFC debut to Ultimate Fighter veteran Forrest Griffin – was that Rua had suffered a serious brain injury, leaving him in serious condition.
Not so says Chute Boxe jiu-jitsu coach Cristiano Marcello. “Everything is fine,” said Marcello when asked about Rua’s physical condition. “I just had breakfast with him [Monday] morning in Hollywood. He is getting ready to go back home to Brazil [on Tuesday]. Everything is cool, he’s perfect.”
It is good to know that, at least physically, Rua has not suffered any serious repercussions from his third-round submission to Griffin’s rear naked choke. But the questions still abound about what happened in his UFC debut, where the world’s top-ranked light heavyweight fighter, especially as the fight wore on, tended to look lackluster.
“It’s a fight,” said Marcello, making no excuses. “Someone has to win, someone has to lose. Forrest was the better fighter that night.
“The first two rounds, I think [Rua] wins. The third, [Griffin] was a little bit better and he caught him. It happens. He is going to go [home] to train hard and get better.”
