Mauricio “SHOGUN” Rua
PDG: Since your successful knee surgery. How does the knee feel and what will be your recovery time-frame until you can start training again?
Shogun: The knee is great, the surgery was a success and the doctor told me that everything is running better than the original schedule. I'm already doing physiotherapy and I think that I will be fight training in December. I will be back fighting in February or March, I hope so!!!!
PDG: Can you give fans your breakdown of your fight with Forrest. What went right and what went wrong?
Shogun: I don’t like to give excuses, I lost and that's it, period. Nothing went right; I assume this and the injury interfered in my training. Specifically in regards to training kicks and running. I also had a lot of new things in my life, a wedding and a new home, but it is no problem, let’s move ahead. I don’t want to talk about the past, let’s see what is coming next. I'm still very young and I know that I can get the UFC belt in the future; I will be back better than ever.
PDG: Can you describe the difference between fighting in the PRIDE ring and the UFC cage?
Shogun: In the cage the fight is more aggressive and there are no corners to get a break. I already fought in the Cage before with no problem; my defeat doesn't have anything to do with the Cage or Ring.
PDG: What adjustments will you have to make before your next fight?
Shogun: It’s too early to say, for now I want to be ok with my knee but for sure more focus in the training and more hours inside the Chute Boxe Academy. I will work more on my physical training too.
PDG: You are not the first PRIDE veteran to lose in the octagon this year. Examples include Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic, Dan Henderson, Heath Herring and Yushin Okami. What are your thoughts?
Shogun: It is just coincidence as I have read some things on some websites talking about this subject. That UFC fighters were always better than PRIDE fighters but those people forgot Quinton Jackson. I think that the guy came to the UFC after 3 terrible defeats in PRIDE (to me and Wanderlei Silva twice), now though he has the UFC belt, so.......
PDG: Do you want a rematch with Forrest or a new opponent?
Shogun: I don’t like to choose my opponents, I want the UFC belt and I'm sure that Forrest will be in my way to accomplish this. So a rematch is just a matter of time.
PDG: Dan Henderson has reportedly rejected a fight with Tito Ortiz. Would you fight Ortiz?
Shogun: As I told you, I don't choose my opponents but I can fight Ortiz, no problem. Now that I have a recent defeat I will need to prove that I can have the UFC belt and Ortiz is probably living with the same situation. There is good chance for this fight to happen.
PDG: Now that you have been in the UFC for a little while. What are the differences between PRIDE and the UFC? In regards to business outside and inside of the cage/ring?
Shogun: Both events are very professional, I can't complain about the way that they have treated me. I got a lot respect and a lot of attention. The American fans make more noise then the Japanese and the noise inside the gymnasium is incredible. You know that the Japanese culture is very different with regards to the language and the way that they face the business. For us, the Brazilians we have more in common with the American culture, it is easier to understand and USA is the land of the promotion and marketing.
PDG: How many more fights are on your UFC contract?
Shogun: 3 fights and I want to make all of them happen in 2008, I hope so!!!
picture courtesy of UFC.com
PDG: Fedor Emelianenko signed with M-1 and Randy Couture quit the UFC. Can you give me your thoughts on both events and do you think they will eventually fight in the new M-1 organization?
Shogun: I like the idea to have more Events like the UFC and PRIDE. It is good for the sport, the fighters and for the fans. Someone told me about the money offers for both (Fedor and Randy), if the numbers are true I'm sure that it is great news for all of the fighters, the sport is going for a new level. M-1 for now is a good promise, UFC is a reality and I think that Fedor is trying to get the best for his career. Randy is the UFC image and maybe there is something that they will fix and we will see him in the UFC again.
PDG: Your brother Ninja also suffered a loss the same week as yours. He will be fighting in Cage Rage 24 on December 1st. Has he recovered from his fight with Lawler and has he made any changes to his training?
Shogun: He’s ok; Ninja is a tuff guy and is very professional. Two weeks after the fight he was training again. Now he’s training with a guy from Cuba, a wrestling coach that works with physical training too. He has told me that he is very happy with this and that the MMA training in Chute Boxe is very heavy.
PDG: Is there anything else that you would like to tell your fans?
Shogun: Thanks again for the many emails that I had after my surgery, supporting me and giving me a lot of motivation to come back as soon as possible. I will prove to all my fans that I can have the UFC belt and that is a compromise that I assume with all my fans.
