Mauricio “Shogun” Rua Joins UFC Hall of Fame: A True Pioneer

Las Vegas – UFC^® today announced that former UFC light heavyweight champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua will be inducted into the 2024 Class of the UFC Hall of Fame as a Pioneer. The 2024 UFC Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will take place as part of the 12^th Annual UFC International Fight Week^Ô, on Thursday, June 27, at T-Mobile Arena, and will be streamed live exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS^®.

“Shogun Rua is one of the greatest Brazilian athletes in combat sports history,” said UFC President & CEO Dana White. “Shogun had an incredible run in PRIDE and UFC, and he was fearless inside the Octagon. His fights against Mark Coleman, Chuck Liddell, Lyoto Machida, and Dan Henderson represent some of the most memorable moments in UFC history and helped put Brazilian MMA on the map. It will be an honor to induct him into the UFC Hall of Fame this summer during International Fight Week.”

Rua will enter the UFC Hall of Fame as the 20^th member of the Pioneer Era Wing. The Pioneers Era category includes athletes who turned professional before November 17, 2000 (when the unified rules of mixed martial arts were adopted), are a minimum age of 35, or who have been retired for one year or more.

A veteran of 42 fights during his 21-year professional MMA career, Rua registered a record of 27-14-1 (23-13-1 – UFC / PRIDE), securing notable wins over UFC Hall of Famers Mark Coleman, Chuck Liddell, Kevin Randleman, and Forrest Griffin, former UFC light heavyweight champions Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Lyoto Machida, and former Strikeforce^® heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem.

Rua made his professional MMA debut on November 8, 2022, competing as part of Meca World Vale Tudo 7. Rua would win four of his first five fights in Meca World Vale Tudo and IFC, before entering PRIDE FC with a 4-1 record.

Rua made his PRIDE FC debut as part of PRIDE FC: BUSHIDO 1, which took place on October 5, 2003, in Saitama, Japan. Rua defeated Akira Shoji via KO in the first round and immediately became a fan favorite.

Rua would win his next seven fights in PRIDE, which included winning the 2005 PRIDE Middleweight Grand Prix by defeating Alistair Overeem and Ricardo Arona via first-round knockouts on the same night as part of PRIDE FC: Final Conflict 2005.

Following his first loss in PRIDE to former UFC heavyweight champion Mark Coleman via injury in the co-main event of PRIDE 31: UNBREAKABLE in February 2006, he would return in September and win his next four fights over six months before joining UFC.

Rua made his UFC debut against Forrest Griffin in the co-main event of UFC^® 76: KNOCKOUT, which took place on September 22, 2007, at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. Rua would lose his debut to Griffin inside the Octagon^® via third-round submission and take a year off to recover.

Rua returned in 2009 with two wins over Coleman and Chuck Liddell at UFC 93 and UFC 97, respectively, earning his first title shot against undefeated champion Lyoto Machida at UFC 104.

UFC^® 104: MACHIDA vs. SHOGUN took place on October 24, 2009, at Staples Center in Los Angeles. Machida entered the Octagon with an undefeated 15-0 record which included wins over five future UFC Hall of Famers.

Rua and Machida matched evenly throughout the bout, with the champion absorbing more punches than in any of his 15 previous fights. The fight would go all five rounds, and Machida would retain the title with a controversial unanimous decision.

Due to the controversy surrounding the decision, Rua was granted an immediate rematch for the UFC light heavyweight title in the main event of UFC 113.

UFC^® 113: MACHIDA vs. SHOGUN 2 took place on May 8, 2010, at Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Rua took control of the fight at the opening bell, securing more strikes and kicks during the first round. With 1:38 remaining in the first, Rua landed an overhand right that knocked down the champion. Rua immediately mounted Machida and landed several strikes to win the fight and decisively become the new UFC light heavyweight champion.

Rua would put his title on the line 10 months later against top-ranked contender Jon Jones in the main event of UFC^® 128: SHOGUN vs. JONES in March 2011. Rua would lose the title via third-round TKO.

Over the next 11 years, Rua would compete inside the Octagon 18 times, facing the top contenders of the light heavyweight division while delivering numerous Fight of the Night performances. His fights against James Te Huna, Antonio Rogerio Nogueria, Tyson Pedro and Dan Henderson earned performance honors, with his UFC 139 war against Henderson entering the UFC Hall of Fame’s Fight Wing in 2018.

He retired from competition following his loss to Ihor Potieria during UFC 283, which took place on January 21, 2023, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Rua enters the UFC Hall of Fame with an impressive resume that includes:

UFC:

Most fights in UFC light heavyweight history – 24

Tied for most knockdowns in UFC light heavyweight history – 14

Second-most knockouts in UFC light heavyweight history – 8

Third-most knockouts in Zuffa history (UFC / PRIDE / WEC / SF) – 17

Fifth-most finishes in Zuffa history (UFC / PRIDE / WEC / SF) – 18

PRIDE:

Tied for most knockouts by soccer kicks/stomps in PRIDE history – 4

Outside the Octagon, Rua has won several awards during his career, receiving Knockout of the Year honors in 2010 during the Fighters Only World MMA Awards for his bout against Lyoto Machida at UFC 113. In 2005, he received Fight of the Year for his bout against Antonio Rogerio Nogueira at PRIDE FC: Critical Countdown 2005.

A native of Curitiba, Brazil, Rua began training in Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu as a member of the famed Chute Boxe Academy. He also trained in wrestling and boxing as a teenager. He currently lives in Curitiba with his wife and children.

To view Rua’s UFC FIGHT PASS collection please visit: https://ufcfightpass.com/playlist/20541

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Roberto Villa is the CEO, Founder, Executive Writer, Senior Editor of FightBook MMA. Has a passion for Combat Sports and also a podcast host for Sitting Ringside. He’s also a former MMA fighter and Kickboxer.