Shogun Rua Will Take a Fight With Anderson Silva, But Not in Rio

Mauricio “Shogun” Rua is up for a fight against Anderson Silva, but it’s not his driving goal. Rua spoke with Tatame for a new interview and was asked if he would be up for a bout with the former champion.

“I would be thrilled to accept a fight against Anderson Silva, but not in Rio,” he said. “There’s only a few weeks to go before UFC 212 and I’m not psychologically ready to do a fight camp right now. If I had two months to train, then yes, I would. I really respect Anderson as an athlete, he’s a guy who deserves my respect, but I’d fight him. I’m a professional, above all things.”

He continued, “I don’t have any specific names on my mind, but I have a loss against Ovince Saint Preux that’s been bugging me ever since. I think he’s a good fighter, an icon, and he deserves all my respect. He’s big for the division, but the way I lost against him left me very sad. I’m not saying I’m better or worse than him, I was sad with the way it was. So I would like a rematch against Saint Preux in the near future, yes.”