The word “legend” is thrown around quite often in the realm of mixed martial arts, but one individual who merits serious consideration for the label is Mauricio “Shogun” Rua. However, this man whose career has embodied violence has now become an example of the repercussions of such. At 32 years of age, the Brazilian fighter already shows the wear and tear of his biggest battles, and heading into his upcoming contest against Ovince St. Preux, the conversation now needs to turn towards whether or not “Shogun” should close the book on his career.
This isn’t the first time that fans and media members have called for the acclaimed fighter to step out of active competition. During his 6-7 Octagon career, he’s taken a wealth of damage, and with each defeat, the MMA online community openly wonders if it is watching the last appearance of a man who was once considered the pound-for-pound best competitor in the sport.
At UFC Fight Night 56, Rua will face a fighter in “OSP” who does not have nearly as much experience and recognition within the sport. Yet he does have the power to deliver the type of blows that can quickly end a night. With seven knockouts to his name, St. Preux should not be overlooked in this fight. Not because he poses a technical matchup that the former champion has not seen, but due to the fact that Rua is at a point in his career where his skills have diminished, and he’s sustained enough damage that durability is worth questioning. Just as many thought before their UFC Fight Night 33 bout that James Te Huna would catch “Shogun” at the right time, the same can be said about St. Preux in this upcoming fight.
This fight is the ultimate lose-lose position for a fighter such as Rua to find himself in. If he wins against “OSP,” the story will be that this was a fight that he should not have lost in any fashion. If he suffers defeat, then that conversation turns into one about the end of Rua’s career, regardless of what he wants to do. UFC President Dana White has stepped in and pulled men out of competition in the past, such as Matt Hughes, Chuck Liddell, and recently B.J. Penn. UFC Fight Night 56 could be the moment that he does the same to Mauricio Rua.
With multiple title reigns to his name, Mauricio “Shogun” Rua deserves recognition as one of the best fighters to ever participate in the sport of mixed martial arts. However, like so many others, watching the tail end of his career has become a struggle. While he still has those flashes of brilliance that entice the fans to remember the good old days, his run in the Ultimate Fighting Championship is drawing to a close, and everyone knows it.
With the coming contest against Ovince St. Preux just a few days away, the questions about whether Rua should walk away from the sport will only continue. A win will not silence those critics, but will add some extended life to Rua’s already successful career. A loss might silence those fans who would want to see his career continue. Either way, fight fans should enjoy the action that occurs in Brazil this weekend, as the UFC Fight Night 56 main event may end up being the last chance to enjoy one of the best men to ever compete in this sport.
• Mauricio “Shogun” Rua vs. Ovince St. Preux
Click the stars to rate your anticipation for this fight.
**********
UFC Fight Night 56: Shogun vs. St. Preux (formerly UFC Fight Night 56: Shogun vs. Manuwa) is due to take place on November 8, 2014 at the Ginásio Municipal Tancredo Neves in Uberlândia, Brazil.
Click the stars to rate how good you think UFC Fight Night 56 will be.
