http://www.tatame.com/2008/11/28/Mauricio-Shogun 
More than one year far from fights, after bring defeated to the UFC light-heavyweight champion, Forrest Griffin, and face a knee surgery, Maurício “Shogun” Rua is getting ready to step again inside the octagon in Las Vegas. In exclusive interview with TATAME, Shogun spoke about the training in Universidade da Luta, now with the reinforcement of Nino Schembri, who graduated the fighter with the Jiu-Jitsu black belt, and the rematch with Mark Coleman. “We already fought and happened all that stuff. This is a fight that I wanted for a long time, but I respect him, I know that it’ll be a difficult fight. He’s a top athlete”, told Shogun, who analyzed the next fights of the division, one of the toughest of the event, and made his bets to the fight between Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira and Frank Mir. Check below the exclusive interview with Shogun to TATAME.
How is the preparation for the fight against Coleman?
I’m 100%, thanks God. I’m training a lot and I’ll give a show to all my fans in Brazil and from all over the world. For sure, he’ll also be 100% prepared and I’ll, certainly, be in the total gas, so I think it’ll be a good fight. The expectative is the biggest possible, and I think he’ll be in his best phase.
You received the reinforcement of Nino Shembri, who gave you the black belt, in the Jiu-Jitsu…How this helps you in the preparation?
He’s with us a week ago and it’s very good. He’ll fight in Fury now and it’ll certainly add in the whole team.
Who’s commanding your trains in the Universidade da Luta?
Carioca is taking care of the Jiu-Jitsu, Danilo in Boxe and Fefê in Muay Thai.
How much are you weighting now?
I’m with 101kg (222 pounds) now. I lost a weight now and I’ll keep like this until when it is nearer of the fight.
Some guys from UFC are recording in Curitiba to the promotion of the event? What can you advance about the video?
On Monday we recorded some training and yesterday (Tuesday) we recorded one more social, in my house, then I went to my mother’s house, in the street where I grew up…I made a barbecue in my house for my birthday and they came to film, it was very nice…
The ambience of revenge against Coleman is one more factor for motivate you ot you try to keep it out of your mind while training?
We already have fought and happened all that. This is a fight that I wanted a long time ago, but I respect him, I know that it’ll be a difficult fight. He’s a top athlete and this is a fight that I wanted very much.
How do you see your category today in UFC?
I think that this is the most difficult category in the world, there are many good athletes wanting the belt and I think it depends of each one to run after their aim.
Which is the expectative for the fight between Forrest Griffin and Rashad Evans?
It’ll be a tough fight. Rashad proved that he’s a good athlete and Forrest is good too, but I wouldn’t risk anything…It’ll be a good fight, for sure.
If you face Forrest today, do you believe that the fight would finish like the last one?
Certainly it would be different. The difference is that I’d get in there more prepared and focused. This is not an excuse, I recognize his victory, but that fight I lost to myself.
What are you expecting for the fight between Wanderlei Silva and Quinton Jackson?
'Wandeco’ wins. I’ll be cheering for him, the whole Brazil certainly will send some positive energy for him to win Rampage one more time.
Did you watch the fight between Brock Lesnar and Randy Couture? What did you think?
It was a big fight, impressed the crowd. Actually, I knew that he would win, he entered very calmly, he had nothing to lose. He didn’t impress me, actually, I knew that this could happen.
Risking a tip, who wins the fight between Rodrigo “Minotauro“ and Frank Mir?
I think Minotauro will win easily…He’ll face that giant.
And how would be a fight between Minotauro and Brock? Will it be a Minotauro vs. Bob Sapp II?
I think that’s a more difficult fight for him, because Brock is a Wrestling athlete and he’s learning quickly, but Minotauro is still favourite.
en gros
il dit que Minotauro c'est le plus fort, que ni Mir ou s'il combattait Lesnar plus tard ca poserait pas de prob a Minotauro.
Selon lui, il savait que Lesnar allait gagner contre Couture car il n'avait rien a perdre et qu'il est entre dans la cage relax et confiant. Lesnar a fait beaucoup de wrestling et apprend tres vite.
Il dit quil se sent au top, que Nino Schembri lui a file sa ceinture noire (j'aurai jure qu'il l'avait eue apres sa victoire contre Arona...)
qu'il respecte Coleman, sa faisait longtemps qu'il attendait la revanche.
Il pense que Wanderlei Silva va encore gagner contre Quinton, que tt le Bresil sera derriere Axe Murder, en revanche un peu dur de prevoir qui gagnera entre Griffin et Evans
Il est relax et a fait un barbecue en famille apres ils ont mate un film entre potes.
Il dit que s'il combattait Forrest, ca serait different maintenant, il ne cherche aucune excuse a sa premiere defaite. 
Accueil 
