‘Shogun’: I Will Knock Dan Henderson Out In The First Round

Former UFC light heavyweight champ Mauricio Rua has been through some wars. Winning the Pride Grand Prix at only 23 years old, the experienced “Shogun” knows what it takes to rise to the pinnacle of mixed martial arts.

Heading into this weekend’s UFC Fight Night 38 rematch of his 2011 “Fight of the Year” winning bout with Dan Henderson at UFC 139, “Shogun” admits that he lost focus and motivation while training in his hometown of Curitiba, Brazil. He’s since moved his camp to Sao Paulo to train with No. 7-ranked welterweight Demian Maia. Rua met up with UFC.com to detail how that shift has benefitted him:

“I have always been with great coaches, but I lacked motivation. With the training here in São Paulo my motivation raised again because I’m just another fighter. In Curitiba, the coaches were hired by me and they were focusing only on me. Now, here in São Paulo, I have good athletes that help me like Demian Maia and Daniel Sarafian.”

We’ve seen top-level fighters fall into that trap before, where they were training with a team of “yes men” that simply told their talented fighter what he wanted to hear rather than what he actually needed to win. At least “Shogun” realized that and made the necessary corrections.

It’s a move that has him excited for his rematch with Henderson. Because even though “Shogun” lost the first fight with a narrow split decision, he feels like he knows what the skidding Henderson is going to do. This time around, he says, he’s going to knock the usually iron-chinned “Hendo” out:

“I’m feeling better this time because I know very well his style of fighting. It’s easier now to impose my rhythm of fight. I will always look for the KO whether I’m winning or not. If I have the opportunity, I will knock him out in the first round.”

That’s a bold prediction from Rua that only months ago probably would have been laughed at. But, after Henderson’s first round KO loss to surging contender Vitor Belfort at UFC Fight Night 32 and the overarching ban of testosterone-replacement therapy (TRT) in MMA, let’s just say “Hendo’s” stock isn’t exactly trending all that high right now.

He can reverse that with a second win over the No. 7-ranked “Shogun” from Ginasio Nelio Dias in Natal, Brazil, this Sunday (March 23, 2014), but Rua has the momentum after knocking out James Te Huna with a massive left hook at last December’s UFC Fight Night 33.

Either way, it should be a war. Will “Shogun’s” bold prediction come true?