Shogun Rua's next fight has been scheduled for November 8th as the headliner for a UFC Fight Night event. The former UFC light heavyweight champion had also ignored his family's request to finally retire from mixed martial arts competition.
In a report by MMA Fighting, Shogun Rua's next fight is slated against Britain's Jimi Manuwa, for UFC Fight Night event with the venue still to be determined. Rua, who holds a record of 22-9, last fought in a rematch against fellow MMA and PRIDE FC veteran Dan Henderson in March, where he suffered a third round TKO.
Manuwa, on the other hand, is relatively a newcomer in mixed martial arts, having begun professional competition in 2008. He currently holds a win-loss slate of 14-1, with all of those victories ending by stoppage (13 knockouts, 1 submission).
He last faced former number one contender Alexander "The Mauler" Gustaffson in March, where he incurred his lone career loss via second round technical knockout.
Shogun Rua's next fight may not be for the UFC light heavyweight title, but the former champion has revealed that his wife and mother are urging him to finally hang up the gloves and walk away from the sport.
"My mother asks me 'you really have to fight?'" the 32-year old fighter told Brazilian television network Agora é Tarde in an interview. "And I say that's my job, mom."
Shogun Rua has been actively competing in mixed martial arts since 2002. His claim to fame was his Muay Thai skills, which knocked out most of his opponents during his stint in the now defunct PRIDE FC organization. According to MMA website Sherdog.com, he held a record of 12-1 during his four-year stint under the organization, with nine of those victories by way of knockout.
While Rua has expressed no intentions to make another title run, the Brazilian fighter also does not see himself retiring anytime soon.
"I do this for 13 years," Rua explained. "Every month, my wife and my mother meet and try to make me stop (fighting), but I tell them that's what I love to do."
