MB667
29-06-2009, 13:22
Valetudo.ru presents the new interview with the Brazilian mix martial art superstar Mauricio "Shogun" Rua. This interview occurred right after his fight against the “Iceman” Chuck Lidell and before Shogun was named number one contender for the UFC light heavyweight title. It was the fisrt time Shogun confirmed that he is ready to face his contryman Lyoto Machida.This and many more in exclusive interview from valetudo.ru. Enjoy!
valetudo.ru: Compared to UFC, was there anything in PRIDE that you miss the most? Atmosphere, fans, entrances? Overall, as a fan of the sport, which show was better and why?
Shogun Rua: - Both shows are great, and what I miss the most about Pride are the footstopms and soccer kicks (Laughs). I think they are different shows, and it takes a little while for you to get used to it, cause the fans atmosphere is different, and the environment, the space where you fight, is very different. But both are great and now I feel adpated to the UFC.
valetudo.ru: During you PRIDE career, you have defeated Alistair Overeem two times by the way of KO or TKO. Last year was extraordinary successful for the Holland fighter, he had several notable wins over good opponents.
What do you think about the opportunity to face him again for the 3rd time? If you do want that fight, would Alistair need to drop to 205, or would you be willing to fight him as in a heavyweight division?
Shogun Rua: - I don't plan on fighting as a Heavyweight. I like to fight at 205 kg and I don't see that changing. Believe it or not I get along well with Alistair nowadays, and I don't see him moving down to 205, besides we're in different events now and I don't see the need for a 3rd bout. As always, this is up to the promoters though, not to me.
valetudo.ru: You received a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu from Nino Schembri in 2005. However, almost all of you fights you prefer to keep standing and you only have one win via submission. Any reasons why?
Shogun Rua: - I like both ways to finish a fight. I love Jiu Jitsu and I love Muay Thai as well. My routes though are more of being a Muay Thai fighter, as my former academy come from a Muay Thai background. I like to fight standing up and I like to win fights by KO, but if I can submit someone, I will.
valetudo.ru: According to all ranking, Rampage Jackson is currently placed higher in the top than you are. Do you think that it’s fair since you have defeated him in the first round? Would you like to fight him again, now in the UFC cage? Do you think that Rampage became a much better fighter since he got to UFC?
Shogun Rua: - I think all fighters have to keep evolving, cause the sport is changing a lot and evolving so much. I think Rampage got better as a lot of guys got better. Rankings are always subject to personal opinions. I stay sidelined for more than a year, and this took me down in the rankings. I think it's normal and I don't mind it. If I keep winning, I'll be up again.
valetudo.ru: Do you know Fedor in person? Did you guys talk to each other at PRIDE as two great champions? May be there is some interesting or a funny story from the PRIDE days about Fedor that we don’t know about. If so, please share it with us.
Shogun Rua: - Yes, I do know Fedor in person. He is a very polite guy, and would always greet me whenever we met in a hotel during a show. He is not only a great fighter, but a good person as well. I don't recall many funny stories with Fedor, cause he is always a laid back guy, very tranquil, and so am I. But I can tell that whenever I met him in the after shows party in the Pride old days, he had great looking girls around him (Laughs).
valetudo.ru: Have you had a chance to watch his last fight against Andrei Arlovski? If so, what do you think about that fight, some people say that Andrei was dominating the fist minutes, do you agree?
Shogun Rua: - I think Arlovski was doing well and taking charge of most of the action, but Fedor seemed to be waiting for a chance. It's tough to say, If I were a judge so far Arlovski would be winning, but a fight is a fight and Fedor scored the KO, and that's all that counts, as we don't know what Fedor strategy was coming into the fight, he could very well be setting Arlovski up for a counter strike.
http://www.valetudo.ru/images/stories/argen2m/shogunfight.jpg Shogun vs. Mark Coleman
valetudo.ru: Would you like to see Fedor coming to the UFC? If so, how do you think he would do?
Shogun Rua: - Yes. I would love to see Fedor in the UFC. I think the UFC is the biggest show in the world now, with most the best fighters and the biggest promotion. A fighter has always to want to fight in the biggest stage possible, and that stage right now is the UFC. I hope Fedor can go and fight in the UFC soon, and I think he would do awesome. I think he is a great fighter, and I see him doing great anywhere he fights!
valetudo.ru: If you had a chance to say something or ask Fedor a question, what would it be?
Shogun Rua: - Can you give me some money? (Laughs) I'm kidding, I think I would ask him about when he thinks he will finally fight in the UFC.
valetudo.ru: After your arrival to the UFC, do you miss the soccer kicks, stomps, knees to the head while on the ground? Those were your most vicious and masterful techniques. Do you think they need to be allowed in the UFC as they were in PRIDE?
Shogun Rua: - Yes, I missed them a lot. I trained for those rules for a long time and it became part of my game. I was though, training without them for a while as I did two fights from Pride in America, where they didn't allow them. I think it would be great if they are allowed, it makes the fight more dynamic and gives a harder time for Wrestlers to stall. But I understand why people don't allow them, cause for those who doesn't understand the MMA game, it may seem like a too brutal fight.
valetudo.ru: Mark Coleman was extremely disappointed that referee stopped the second fight just seconds before the final siren. You were clearly winning all fight long, was he possibly thinking that he would get a decision win?
Shogun Rua: - We can't control what other people think. Some people may think he was winning, what can we do about it? I was not happy with my performance, but I'm sure I was winning the fight all along and I think the referee did the right job in stopping the fight.
valetudo.ru: Both you and Mark were very respectful after the second fight. May we conclude that the conflict between Mark (team Hammer House) and you is finally over?
Shogun Rua: - For sure. I respect Coleman a lot, he is a legend of the sport and someone I grew up watching his fights. I don't have anything against him or their team, and we got to move on.
valetudo.ru: On May 23, your countryman, Lyoto Carvalho Machida, has an opportunity to make history and become the world champion in light-heavyweight division, in his fight against Rashad Evans. Who would you pick as a winner for this fight?
Shogun Rua: - This is a very tough fight to pick a winner. Both guys are great fighters, but use a lot of strategy and have a lot of composure. Rashad hits hard, is explosive, has great wrestling and his Boxing is improving day by day. Lyoto has a very solid ground game, solid balance and Wrestling skills, and great striking in an awkward style. Both are in great shape. It's an intriguing fight, but I hope Lyoto wins cause he is Brazilian and a very nice guy.
valetudo.ru: If it happened to be Lyoto, would you fight him for the title, if the opportunity arrives?
Shogun Rua: - If he holds the belt, and I have the chance to fight for the belt, I would fight him, of course. This is our dream, to become champions, and there's no other option. The only two fighters I wouldn't fight would be my brother and Wanderlei Silva.
http://www.valetudo.ru/images/stories/argen2m/shogunfight2.jpg Shogun vs. Chuck Liddell
valetudo.ru: Compared to UFC, was there anything in PRIDE that you miss the most? Atmosphere, fans, entrances? Overall, as a fan of the sport, which show was better and why?
Shogun Rua: - Both shows are great, and what I miss the most about Pride are the footstopms and soccer kicks (Laughs). I think they are different shows, and it takes a little while for you to get used to it, cause the fans atmosphere is different, and the environment, the space where you fight, is very different. But both are great and now I feel adpated to the UFC.
valetudo.ru: During you PRIDE career, you have defeated Alistair Overeem two times by the way of KO or TKO. Last year was extraordinary successful for the Holland fighter, he had several notable wins over good opponents.
What do you think about the opportunity to face him again for the 3rd time? If you do want that fight, would Alistair need to drop to 205, or would you be willing to fight him as in a heavyweight division?
Shogun Rua: - I don't plan on fighting as a Heavyweight. I like to fight at 205 kg and I don't see that changing. Believe it or not I get along well with Alistair nowadays, and I don't see him moving down to 205, besides we're in different events now and I don't see the need for a 3rd bout. As always, this is up to the promoters though, not to me.
valetudo.ru: You received a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu from Nino Schembri in 2005. However, almost all of you fights you prefer to keep standing and you only have one win via submission. Any reasons why?
Shogun Rua: - I like both ways to finish a fight. I love Jiu Jitsu and I love Muay Thai as well. My routes though are more of being a Muay Thai fighter, as my former academy come from a Muay Thai background. I like to fight standing up and I like to win fights by KO, but if I can submit someone, I will.
valetudo.ru: According to all ranking, Rampage Jackson is currently placed higher in the top than you are. Do you think that it’s fair since you have defeated him in the first round? Would you like to fight him again, now in the UFC cage? Do you think that Rampage became a much better fighter since he got to UFC?
Shogun Rua: - I think all fighters have to keep evolving, cause the sport is changing a lot and evolving so much. I think Rampage got better as a lot of guys got better. Rankings are always subject to personal opinions. I stay sidelined for more than a year, and this took me down in the rankings. I think it's normal and I don't mind it. If I keep winning, I'll be up again.
valetudo.ru: Do you know Fedor in person? Did you guys talk to each other at PRIDE as two great champions? May be there is some interesting or a funny story from the PRIDE days about Fedor that we don’t know about. If so, please share it with us.
Shogun Rua: - Yes, I do know Fedor in person. He is a very polite guy, and would always greet me whenever we met in a hotel during a show. He is not only a great fighter, but a good person as well. I don't recall many funny stories with Fedor, cause he is always a laid back guy, very tranquil, and so am I. But I can tell that whenever I met him in the after shows party in the Pride old days, he had great looking girls around him (Laughs).
valetudo.ru: Have you had a chance to watch his last fight against Andrei Arlovski? If so, what do you think about that fight, some people say that Andrei was dominating the fist minutes, do you agree?
Shogun Rua: - I think Arlovski was doing well and taking charge of most of the action, but Fedor seemed to be waiting for a chance. It's tough to say, If I were a judge so far Arlovski would be winning, but a fight is a fight and Fedor scored the KO, and that's all that counts, as we don't know what Fedor strategy was coming into the fight, he could very well be setting Arlovski up for a counter strike.
http://www.valetudo.ru/images/stories/argen2m/shogunfight.jpg Shogun vs. Mark Coleman
valetudo.ru: Would you like to see Fedor coming to the UFC? If so, how do you think he would do?
Shogun Rua: - Yes. I would love to see Fedor in the UFC. I think the UFC is the biggest show in the world now, with most the best fighters and the biggest promotion. A fighter has always to want to fight in the biggest stage possible, and that stage right now is the UFC. I hope Fedor can go and fight in the UFC soon, and I think he would do awesome. I think he is a great fighter, and I see him doing great anywhere he fights!
valetudo.ru: If you had a chance to say something or ask Fedor a question, what would it be?
Shogun Rua: - Can you give me some money? (Laughs) I'm kidding, I think I would ask him about when he thinks he will finally fight in the UFC.
valetudo.ru: After your arrival to the UFC, do you miss the soccer kicks, stomps, knees to the head while on the ground? Those were your most vicious and masterful techniques. Do you think they need to be allowed in the UFC as they were in PRIDE?
Shogun Rua: - Yes, I missed them a lot. I trained for those rules for a long time and it became part of my game. I was though, training without them for a while as I did two fights from Pride in America, where they didn't allow them. I think it would be great if they are allowed, it makes the fight more dynamic and gives a harder time for Wrestlers to stall. But I understand why people don't allow them, cause for those who doesn't understand the MMA game, it may seem like a too brutal fight.
valetudo.ru: Mark Coleman was extremely disappointed that referee stopped the second fight just seconds before the final siren. You were clearly winning all fight long, was he possibly thinking that he would get a decision win?
Shogun Rua: - We can't control what other people think. Some people may think he was winning, what can we do about it? I was not happy with my performance, but I'm sure I was winning the fight all along and I think the referee did the right job in stopping the fight.
valetudo.ru: Both you and Mark were very respectful after the second fight. May we conclude that the conflict between Mark (team Hammer House) and you is finally over?
Shogun Rua: - For sure. I respect Coleman a lot, he is a legend of the sport and someone I grew up watching his fights. I don't have anything against him or their team, and we got to move on.
valetudo.ru: On May 23, your countryman, Lyoto Carvalho Machida, has an opportunity to make history and become the world champion in light-heavyweight division, in his fight against Rashad Evans. Who would you pick as a winner for this fight?
Shogun Rua: - This is a very tough fight to pick a winner. Both guys are great fighters, but use a lot of strategy and have a lot of composure. Rashad hits hard, is explosive, has great wrestling and his Boxing is improving day by day. Lyoto has a very solid ground game, solid balance and Wrestling skills, and great striking in an awkward style. Both are in great shape. It's an intriguing fight, but I hope Lyoto wins cause he is Brazilian and a very nice guy.
valetudo.ru: If it happened to be Lyoto, would you fight him for the title, if the opportunity arrives?
Shogun Rua: - If he holds the belt, and I have the chance to fight for the belt, I would fight him, of course. This is our dream, to become champions, and there's no other option. The only two fighters I wouldn't fight would be my brother and Wanderlei Silva.
http://www.valetudo.ru/images/stories/argen2m/shogunfight2.jpg Shogun vs. Chuck Liddell