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08-25-2010, 11:16 AM #1
Shogun-Rashad fight on hold until next year!
Mauricio "Shogun" Rua vs. Rashad Evans UFC title fight on hold until mid-2011
by MMAjunkie.com Staff on Aug 24, 2010 at 3:10 pm ET
The UFC's light-heavyweight championship will be on hold for a year.
Current champ Mauricio "Shogun" Rua (19-4 MMA, 3-2 UFC), who won the title with a knockout of Lyoto Machida in May, will be out till the spring or summer of 2011.
As expected UFC president Dana White today told ESPN's "SportsCenter" he'll meet top contender and former champ Rashad Evans (15-1-1 MMA, 10-1-1 UFC) upon his return.
Rua underwent successful knee surgery in June, which prompted the layoff. The Brazilian superstar also previously struggled with knee injuries. He faced Forrest Griffin with a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his octagon debut at UFC 76 and afterward underwent surgery to repair the damage. Less than six months later, the 28-year-old withdrew from a scheduled fight with Chuck Liddell at UFC 85 with the same injury and underwent another surgery. Both took place in Brazil.
"We did this [surgery] in the United States with the best doctor in the country," White said. "He's recovering well, and we're looking for mid-spring, early-summer."
Rua, a longtime star with the now-defunct PRIDE Fighting Championships, is 3-1 since that loss to Griffin. The lone defeat came to Machida in their first meeting, and many in the industry panned the unanimous decision and felt Rua won the fight. Seven months later in the rematch, he needed less than a round to score a knockout and win the belt. It also marked Machida's first career loss.
Evans, meanwhile, earned another shot at the title with a May win over rival Quinton "Rampage" Jackson in the main event of UFC 114. Although he said he'd be open to an interim-title fight if Rua were to experience a lengthy layoff, he later said he'd prefer to wait for the champion. He'll now have a yearlong layoff of his own while waiting for his shot to reclaim the belt.
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08-25-2010, 12:22 PM #2
Damn, that's so far.
Mid-spring to early summer huh? I guarantee that it happens April 30th, just to screw me over because that is the Saturday before finals.
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08-25-2010, 03:17 PM #3
I find it funny Rasgad would rather wait out that long and not fight someone for a interim belt. Shows me how afraid he is at losing his shot with Rua. Rua being out to another knee injury doesn't surpise me though. I always wondered how good Rua would be without all these injuries and it actually scares me.lol I think they should still do a turny for a interim belt for the person who gets second shot at Rua or first at Rashad.
Jon Jones
Forrest
Lyoto
Rampage
Hamil
Ortiz
Bader
Lil Nog
Would be fun in my opinion.
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08-25-2010, 03:46 PM #4
Why risk a title shot when you already have one? What would he gain from fighting before Shogun other than keeping busy?
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08-25-2010, 04:26 PM #5
I just don't like it when any fighter sits out for a year, its cowardly to me. Did Shane Carwin sit out when his fight with Lesnar was set back due to illness? To me a true fighter wants to fight not sit out, because the champion is. just my opinion. I understand why he would want to sit out he could easily loose his shot, the LHW is a the best divison right now. Lyoto and Rampage should post pone their fight until early 2011 then. I mean all the contenders should then be able to get time off, obviously not a year. But Lyoto and Rampage? They fight winner gets what? 6 or more months on the shelf?Waiting for Rua to become healthy then fight Rashad then wait until the winner is healthy again. Alot of waiting if you ask me.
Way I see Rashad was like yeah I will fight anyone, Dana says would you fight Lyoto again? Rashad on second thought......
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08-25-2010, 06:08 PM #6
So Rampage didn't take time off for his acting career? Rashad was forced to wait around then too, but took the Thiago Silva fight. If he wasn't already #1 contender, he would've taken another fight. But you can't blame a guy for not taking an opportunity where he has nothing to gain, but a lot to lose.
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08-25-2010, 08:24 PM #7
Rampage should have never left the UFC it was dumb for him to do so, he was okay in A-team but the ring rust showed. I didn't say I blamed him or anything, I just don't like it, I understand why he did, I just don't agree with it. It really messes up a divison whne the number one contender and the champ sit a year out aswell. I mean what if Jon Jones KOs Forrest first round fights Lyoto TKOs Lyoto. Your telling me Rashad would still be the number one contender? Just saying alot can happen in one year, and sitting on the shelf holding onto your title shot makes you look afraid. Rashad will get his title shot, but he may not be considered number one contender when he does.
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Originally Posted by frizzzlecake 
