UFC
Light Heavyweight Champion since
UFC 113
Mauricio Milani "Shogun" Rua (born November
25, 1981 in Curitiba, Brazil) is a mixed martial arts fighter, and the
winner of the PRIDE Fighting Championships' Grand Prix 2005. He holds
notable wins over Ricardo Arona, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, Quinton
Jackson and Alistair Overeem. MMAWeekly.com currently has Shogun as the
#1 ranked light heavyweight in the world.
Shogun hails from Chute Boxe Academy in Curitiba, Brazil, a Muay Thai
training group which has produced champions like
Wanderlei Silva. He is the younger
brother of Murilo "Ninja" Rua, a fellow Chute Boxe member. Mauricio is
known for his Muay Thai ability. Mauricio is known for being a phenom of
the new wave of MMA fighters having mastered both striking skills and
having a very well developed ground game, including a black belt in
brazilian jiu jitsu.
Shogun's only losses have been to
Renato Sobral at IFC tournament "Global Domination" on September
6, 2003 by submission (guillotine choke) in the third round, along with
a loss to Mark Coleman at PRIDE 31 via referee stoppage when Rua broke
his arm following a takedown by Coleman in which he landed awkwardly.
After the elbow injury, Shogun Rua returned to the ring on September 10,
2006 to face French striker Cyrille Diabate. Mauricio Shogun defeated
Diabate via TKO (stomps). On October 21 Rua defeated the American Kevin
Randleman with a kneebar two minutes into the first round . In a recent
interview Rua said that he wants to fight in the middleweight GP in
2007, and fight as a heavyweight in 2008.
His last fight was a knockout victory win at PRIDE 33 against Alistair
Overeem. In June 2007, shortly after Rua was moved up to be the number
one ranked light-heavyweight, Chute Boxe annnounced that Rua is getting
married to "the famous Brazilian personal trainer and future Renata Rua."
The Chute Boxe website states Rua signed with the UFC on May 22nd.
MMA Record: 19-3-0
UFC History
Official Website:
www.mauricioshogun.com.br