Report: Mauricio "Shogun" Rua agrees to face Lyoto Machida in October

SuperWoody101

With current No. 1 contender Quinton "Rampage" Jackson electing to face Rashad Evans rather than take an immediate shot at regaining the UFC's light-heavyweight title, Brazilian slugger Mauricio "Shogun" Rua has reportedly agreed to be new champ Lyoto Machida's first title challenger.

While speculation of the potential bout has been widely circulating since the announcement of Jackson and Evans as coaches on "TUF 10," Portuguese-language website SuperLutas reports Rua has signed on for the bout.

Attempts by MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) to confirm the reports with Machida's camp were unsuccessful.

UFC President Dana White himself began the speculation when he posted the message "Look who's in the office today!!!" on his Twitter account Tuesday afternoon. The message included a photo of White with Rua.

The SuperLutas report claims Rua signed a contract extension and agreed to the Machida fight at that time.

Rua last fought in April, earning a first-round TKO victory over Chuck Liddell. Following the bout, White made it clear he was impressed with the performance.

"I think 'Shogun' proved tonight that all the people that were talking about him – I said this earlier – this kid had ring rust," White said at the UFC 97 post-event press conference. "He had been off for a while. He had two knee surgeries. You just can't sit out that long, I don't care who you are. Muhammad Ali, whoever.

"Anybody who's taken too much time off in the ring, it hurts you. You've got to get back on your horse, get in there and start fighting again. 'Shogun' proved tonight that he's back. He got hit with some big shots from a guy who knocks people out. He took them. He was throwing hard leg kicks form the beginning of the fight."

Machida's official website still lists Jackson as his next opponent, the same claim White made following the Brazilian's title win over Evans at Saturday night's UFC 98.

However, Jackson has since made it known he volunteered for "TUF" coaching duties for a chance to meet Evans and address the rivalry that began with an in-cage showdown following "Rampage's" win at UFC 96 in March.

http://mmajunkie.com/news/15025/report-mauricio-shogun-rua-agrees-to-face-lyoto-machida-in-october.mma

T-K-O

Kinda happy about this one. I like Rampage and do not wanna see him get his ass kicked.

Plus the Evans fight is one he can win.

Shogun is shot and the Dragon will destroy him.

cowzerp

I dont see it like that, i do think he was rusty and if fit he'll be a handfull, could be a great fight for the fans.. strange

Professey Chin

cowzerp wrote: »

I dont see it like that, i do think he was rusty and if fit he'll be a handfull, could be a great fight for the fans.. strange

My thoughts too. A fit shogun really does have it all.And I really want him to win

T-K-O

He gassed very early against a 205 year old Coleman but even before that he didnt look right.

Shogun is a great fighter but and I have said this for some time Lyoto is special - Silva / GSP special.

Seifer

Shogun doesn't stand a chance.
The Evans / Jackson fight is the more interesting news I think.
It'll be a good fight but I'd put my money on Rashad.

Professey Chin

T-K-O wrote: »

He gassed very early against a 205 year old Coleman but even before that he didnt look right.

Shogun is a great fighter but and I have said this for some time Lyoto is special - Silva / GSP special.

You speak like these 2 have never lost

Professey Chin

Seifer wrote: »

Shogun doesn't stand a chance.

Any reasons why?

(i know I coulda combined these 2 posts but I couldnt have been arsed editing for a multiquote )

Seifer

Ultimate Chin wrote: »

Any reasons why?

On the countdown to UFC 98, one of the most interesting bits was when they were talking to Greg Jackson about the fight. He said he was looking forward to developing a game-plan to beat Machida.
Obviously Rashad didn't win, so did Greg Jackson fail to come up with a good fight plan or did Rashad fail to implement it properly?
Rashad seems to have a good history of using the right strategy for a given fight so I would say that Jackson's plan was good on paper and Rashad is a great (undefeated at the time) fighter but the fact is that Machida is the master of the timing. He controls the tempo of the fight.
Fighter's can't hit him. They can't take him down.
Dana can go on about ring rust all he wants but what can Shogun do to get near Machida? There's nothing he brings to the fight that Machida hasn't beaten before and Machida has only been getting better where as Shogun doesn't seem to be as good as he used to be.

Professey Chin

Seifer wrote: »

On the countdown to UFC 98, one of the most interesting bits was when they were talking to Greg Jackson about the fight. He said he was looking forward to developing a game-plan to beat Machida.
Obviously Rashad didn't win, so did Greg Jackson fail to come up with a good fight plan or did Rashad fail to implement it properly?
Rashad seems to have a good history of using the right strategy for a given fight so I would say that Jackson's plan was good on paper and Rashad is a great (undefeated at the time) fighter but the fact is that Machida is the master of the timing. He controls the tempo of the fight.
Fighter's can't hit him. They can't take him down.
Dana can go on about ring rust all he wants but what can Shogun do to get near Machida? There's nothing he brings to the fight that Machida hasn't beaten before and Machida has only been getting better where as Shogun doesn't seem to be as good as he used to be.

OK most of that seems to be about evans and jackson instead of shogun
I still look at what shogun brings to the fight when he's in shape(thats a point that must be made really). He's got a great chin, a fantastic ground game, great takedowns, KO power, he'll keep pressure on and is difficult to predict.
Im not saying he'll beat Machida but I'd say he has a much better chance then most for all those reasons.

cowzerp

Evans had a game plan to counter machida but this only works when you actually throw some shots which he did'nt really do, Evans was very poor in the fight, was that all down to Machida, i dont think so.

t-ha

Smart move by Jackson to dodge that bullet. Even if Shogun doesn't win, hopefully (for Jackson) he might highlight a chink in Machida's game. I can't see Shogun winning this though, his striking against Lidell was good but a little sloppy, and I think dominant wrestling is gonna be the answer to Lyoto (easier said than done, I know).
Specifically, I think the best game plan against Machida would be a bit like GSP's against BJ Penn, force him to wrestle with you, tire him out, if you can put some shots in well and good but mainly just try and get him to work hard. A bit like what Dan Henderson tried to do to Silva but making him work harder when he's on the ground.

Seifer

Ultimate Chin wrote: »

OK most of that seems to be about evans and jackson instead of shogun

My point is that Rashad is a great fighter and had a good game plan behind him but he still couldn't touch Machida.
I don't see what Shogun can bring that will be in anyway an improvement over what Rashad can bring.

cowzerp wrote: »

Evans was very poor in the fight, was that all down to Machida, i dont think so.

What do you think it was down to so?

Odats

I wonder where the event is going to be held. I hope it is in the UK but cannot see it happening unless a couple of things happen.
If Hardy beats Davis then he is due a match with a top 10 fighter possibly Fitch if he beats Thiago at 100 or Koscheck and that would be a co main event material to keep the Brits happy if Bisping loses to Henderson.

Professey Chin

Seifer wrote: »

My point is that Rashad is a great fighter and had a good game plan behind him but he still couldn't touch Machida.
I don't see what Shogun can bring that will be in anyway an improvement over what Rashad can bring.

I wouldnt really call hang back and hope for a counter to repeat the liddell KO a good game plan since thats what it appeared to be.He let Machida dictate all the pace and barely used any wrestling besides to hold lyoto against the cage a couple of times

Seifer

Ultimate Chin wrote: »

I wouldnt really call hang back and hope for a counter to repeat the liddell KO a good game plan since thats what it appeared to be.He let Machida dictate all the pace and barely used any wrestling besides to hold lyoto against the cage a couple of times

That wasn't the plan, that's just the way Machida made it play out.
Rashad was trying to find his timing. He couldn't. He looked worried going back to his corner after the first round.
He didn't let Machida dictate the pace, Machida dictated the pace himself.

cardio,shoot me

id really like to see this, although id say machida would win.

cowzerp

Seifer wrote: »

What do you think it was down to so?

I already said-he did not throw anything on the counter, you cant win if you dont try to finish, he fought the wrong fight and did not adapt..

PADRAIC.M

I think rashad's biggest mistake in the fight was gettin knocked out! :-) yeah good move by rampage to take tuf and evans deal and sit back and see what happens! I would love to see a shogun vs rampage if shogun can get back to old form he may upset machida, don't think rampage would yet..

ginoginelli

This is a great match up. If Shogun comes in shape, this could be Lyotos toughest fight yet. Shogun is good everywhere but I think his ability to kick and more importantly leg kick, gives him a better chance against machida than other top contenders..

In regards to a wrestler being the answer to the machida problem - we already saw ortiz v machida. Ortiz's gameplan that whole fight was trying to clinch and or shoot for doubles. Im not saying that ortiz is a top mma wrestler anymore, but he is very strong and still wasnt able to get machida down.

Lyoto looks like he has really got used to the octagon now and really utilizes it. The fact that its much bigger than the ring and has no corners really suits his illusive fighting style. Its going to be hard for any wrestler to get a hold of him tbh.

I still think that the guys with the best chances of beating him at the moment are the real scrappy, scrambler type fighters. ie shogun, hendo, rampage..

Dragan

ginoginelli wrote: »

In regards to a wrestler being the answer to the machida problem - we already saw ortiz v machida.

Tito wasn't exactly top of his game when he met Machida though. Sure, still a powerful wrestler, but not the Tito of old. Add in mixing up the striking a lot more than Tito did and you are on the way to beating Machida.

Can Shogun do that?

Nope. Not anymore. He'll gas in the second and get TKO'd in the 3rd.

daviedee

It's funny how people are making up game plans to beat Machida. He totally destroyed his last 2 opponents, his 2 toughest opponents. He has barely being touched since his arrival in the UFC(yea I remember Tito's triangle). I believe Shogun's best days are gone. He has being unlucky with injuries, thats real tuff but he certainly has not impressed by his own high standards recently. Machida will beat him easily without taking damage. Anything can happen but I don't think it will.
There has never being such a dominant fighter ever at this level so far.
The UFC light heavyweight champ, Undefeated, Machida is something very special.

rovert

daviedee wrote: »

It's funny how people are making up game plans to beat Machida. He totally destroyed his last 2 opponents, his 2 toughest opponents. He has barely being touched since his arrival in the UFC(yea I remember Tito's triangle). I believe Shogun's best days are gone. He has being unlucky with injuries, thats real tuff but he certainly has not impressed by his own high standards recently. Machida will beat him easily without taking damage. Anything can happen but I don't think it will.
There has never being such a dominant fighter ever at this level so far.
The UFC light heavyweight champ, Undefeated, Machida is something very special.

Unless he drinks and smokes like Sakuraba.

Jason Mc

This is the fight I want to see above any other at the moment

Can shogun beat him? I'm not sure but out of all the people around I think if he comes in on form he stands a better chance than anyone else around at the moment.

The only thing I worry about with shogun is even when he is fit and banging hard he still had a tendency to drop his hands when he starts to engage and that could be his downfall

Rickard

Ultimate Chin wrote: »

You speak like these 2 have never lost

Machida hasn't lost. So I guess he's more special than GSP and SILVA

Dragan

Rickard wrote: »

Machida hasn't lost. So I guess he's more special than GSP and SILVA

He hasn't even lost a round yet.

The way to take his belt is to learn how to break him down for 5 minutes and do it 5 times in a row. It will be good to see how Lyoto reacts when somebody gets him into a very precarious position.

MGKO

I think Shogun can beat him.

Who has really tested Machida's stand up? I think a world class striker like Shogun could beat him, especially if he come's ready. Ortiz, Sodokju, T. Silva and Evans are not world class strikers, nowhere near. I would rate Forrest's or even Jardine's stand up better than those four. When Machida beats a world class striker like Rampage or Shogun, I will be impressed. Well, more impressed than I am now...