"Shogun" Rua is focused on Forrest Griffin, but says his "big dream" is to be Champion again
Posted on August 16, 2011, 05:36 PM by Joey SantosusFormer Light Heavyweight Champion Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, who will meet Forrest Griffin in the UFC 134 co-main event, discusses his opponent, as well as his training and preparation for the bout. Rua says that, though he remains focused on his fight with Griffin, his "big dream" is to once again be the UFC Champion.
Shogun's journey back to the top will begin in his home country of Brazil on August 27th from the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro. Rua will face Griffin in a rematch of their 2007 bout, during which he was submitted in the final round. Photo: Francis Specker
Further Reading: The stars of UFC 134 talk fighting in Rio: Anderson Silva, Yushin Okami, Shogun Rua and more
Comments
Yeah Mayhem is also training with Shogun!
Hopefully be champion again and stay champion. I hope that full rehab on his knee before the Jones fight is the last of that problem.
Yeah I noticed that too. He is a great fighter and a humble person but he is clearly beatable. I think Forrest is about the most underated fighter in the LHW division too. People all think Forrest is a division welcoming fight and forget about the serious champs he has defeated. Even his loss to Rashad was all his fight until the KO and his loss to AS was just unmistakeably a bad matchup for him and also AS is the p4p king. Forrest is a clever fighter and could very well beat Shogun again even though I think Forrest would be smashed by Machida due to his style.
Agreed, that fight with Anderson really screwed his public perception. I still don't get what he was thinking that night lol.
What you say is partly true IMO. I agree that people chalk up all his losses to his poor performance and not his opponents dominating one, but at the same time his injuries have clearly taken their toll. He use to be able to set and maintain such a high pace, but it seems when his opponents dictate the pace he has trouble. I think he needs to be a little more efficient especially in his defense. To say he has little shot against Jones in the future is a fair statement, but I still think he can win (seeing this fight with Forrest will help make a better assessment.). Jones makes plenty of mistakes, but his size and strength, athleticism, creativity ect bails him out for them.
No one is going to be the LHW Champion except Jone "Bones" Jones. Sorry. He devastates, brutalizes and makes it look easy.
Jon**
Shogun and Griffin are both disgruntled champions, neither got to defend their belt, this match of two former champions will prove two things; one who is the better today, and two who can get that championship back and defend it.
i think it will stay a big dream
Glad to see Wandy still training. Surprised Shogun didn't mention being back with Wand, at least for the moment.
Did they ever have beef with each other? As far as I know, they just both left Chute Boxe after Pride dissolved.
His big dream is to be champion again but fighting Jones one more time is a nightmare.
Stop making excuses. If the dude was so injured he should have not been fighting. He felt he was well enough to do the fight and he got stomped as a result and Shogun tapped because he was beaten so badly.
Embrace the new Champion.