Murilo Rua
Encyclopedia
Murilo Rua (ˈʁuɐ; born May 22, 1980) is a former Brazilian mixed martial artist who fought in Pride Fighting Championships. Nicknamed Ninja, he is the older brother of former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Mauricio "Shogun" Rua
. He is known for his well-rounded fighting skills, in particular Muay Thai
and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
. Rua is a veteran of Pride Fighting Championships, where he once enjoyed a reputation as one of the strongest middleweights in the world. Rua regularly fought at 185 pounds, but has also fought at 205 pounds and heavyweight
. He is the former (and first ever) Elite XC middleweight
champion. He also had a successful career in British MMA appearing on both Cage Rage
and BAMMA
cards. He is of Portuguese and Italian descent, but was born in Brazil.
in Curitiba, Brazil, a Muay Thai training group which has produced champions like Wanderlei Silva
. Ninja's first foray into MMA was with Brazilian based Meca World Vale Tudo, there he amassed an impressive 5–0–1 record before signing with Pride Fighting Championships.
Ninja made his PRIDE debut against Daijiro Matsui
in September 2001, which he won via referee stoppage after repeated kicks and stomps. After losing a close decision to Dan Henderson
, Rua went on to defeat such fighters as Alex Andrade, Akira Shoji, Alexander Otsuka
and Mario Sperry
. The latter being the beginnings of the long lasting rivalry between Chute Boxe and Brazilian Top Team
. Rua lost to Ricardo Arona
in a close battle of attrition, and Sergei Kharitonov in the Pride Total Elimination 2004
, where he fought as a heavyweight, suffering a brutal knockout loss.
At Pride 29
, Rua faced Quinton Jackson
. Jackson won via a split decision that did not seem to reflect the events of the match. Jackson appeared embarrassed with the result and attempted to offer the winner's trophy to Rua following the decision. Commentators such as Mauro Ranallo and Bas Rutten, who were present at the bout, also have stated that they thought Rua had won the fight.
Rua fought three more times in Pride, defeating newcomer Murad Chunkaiev before dropping a lacklustre decision against top ranked Paulo Filho
. Nevertheless, Rua was selected as part of the Pride welterweight (185 pound) Grand Prix. In the opening bracket, however, he was knocked out by Denis Kang
. Rua then left Pride for a tenure with British MMA promotion Cage Rage
in order to strengthen the tie between the two promotions. His first bout, against English UFC veteran Mark Weir
, resulted in a victory by submission after a rough and tumble affair. He also defeated Alex Reid
via doctor stoppage before the newly created EliteXC organization purchased Cage Rage, therefore he fought for the vacant Elite XC middleweight at Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Baroni against Greg Jackson trained Joey Villasenor
and recorded a second round TKO, stopping Villasenor with strikes. After three months as the champion, his first title defense came to ICON sport middleweight champion Robbie Lawler
. Despite narrowly winning the first two rounds, an exhausted Ninja was defeated via a third round TKO at EliteXC: Uprising
. He rebounded with a victory over Muay Thai fighter and Cage Rage contender Xavier Foupa-Pokam
at Cage Rage 24: Feel the pain.
On December 18, 2007, Sherdog.com reported that both Rua and his brother Mauricio had left the Chute Boxe camp with plans to open up their own facility in Massachusetts
. The Ruas' new camp was named Universidade da luta
, which translates to "University of Fighting", and instead was opened in the Ruas' hometown of Curitiba, Brazil.
Rua was initially scheduled to fight Phil Baroni
on the May 31, 2008, EliteXC card, however, he suffered a minor foot injury which led him to fight on the June 14 card instead, where he recorded a dominant KO victory over undefeated Tony Bonello
. On October 4, 2008, Rua was defeated by Benji Radach
on a live CBS broadcast. Radach finished the fight with punches to Rua's head after a failed flying knee sent him sprawling on his back.
Rua made his Dream
debut at Dream 8
against Riki Fukuda
on April 5, 2009. His original opponent was supposed to be Dong Sik Yoon but Dong was injured and Riki was found as a late replacement. Rua went on to lose against Riki by unanimous decision. After winning both of his latest bouts at Bitetti Combat MMA 4 and Bitetti Combat MMA 5 in the Light Heavyweight division, Rua hinted that he will continue fighting at 205 lb.
Rua was supposed to fight Falaniko Vitale at Shine Fights 3 on May 15, 2010. The middleweight bout between Falaniko Vitale and Rua, previously announced for Shine Fights Worlds Collide: Mayorga vs. Thomas, was scrapped due to an injury sustained by Vitale.
Rua was planning to participate in Dream 14, though that event canceling led to other plans
Rua beat Jeremy May on July 18, 2010 at Impact Fighting Championships
by submission via guillotine choke.
Rua lost to Cesar Gracie product Roy Boughton via unanimous decision on . Boughton missed weight by 11 lbs.
"Ninja" fought Tom Watson
for the BAMMA Middleweight Title on May 21, 2011. The fight proved to be a one sided affair, with Rua being rocked several times throughout the fight, as well as being visibly hurt with leg kicks. The end came at 2:06 of the third round after Watson stunned Rua with a head kick and followed up with strikes until the referee stepped in to save the unconscious Rua.
After Rua loss against Tom Watson, he said he would not continue fighting and would retire.
, Brazil. The couple have two sons,one who was born in August 2008 and one named Jose Lucas who was born March 15, 2010.
| Loss
|align=center| 20-12-1
| Tom Watson
| KO (head kick and punches)
| BAMMA 6
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 2:06
|London
, England
| For the BAMMA Middleweight Championship
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 20–11–1
| Roy Boughton
| Decision (unanimous)
| W-1 New Ground
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
|Nova Scotia
, Canada
| Boughton missed contracted weight (190) by 5.5 pounds
|-
| Win
|align=center| 20–10–1
| Jeremy May
| Submission (guillotine choke)
| Impact FC 2
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 4:12
|Sydney
, Australia
| Fought at 185 lb
|-
| Win
|align=center| 19–10–1
| Arturo Arcemendes
| Submission (arm-triangle choke)
| Bitetti Combat MMA 7
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 1:27
|Rio de Janeiro
, Brazil
| Fought at 205 lb
|-
| Win
|align=center| 18–10–1
| Jason Jones
| TKO (punches)
| Bitetti Combat MMA 5
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 3:20
|São Paulo
, Brazil
| Fought at 205 lb
|-
| Win
|align=center| 17–10–1
| Alex Stiebling
| TKO (head kick and strikes)
| Bitetti Combat MMA 4
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 0:39
|Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| Fought at 205 lb
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 16–10–1
| Riki Fukuda
| Decision (unanimous)
| Dream 8
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 5:00
|Nagoya, Japan
|
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 16–9–1
| Benji Radach
| KO (punches)
| EliteXC: Heat
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 2:31
|Sunrise, Florida
, United States
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 16–8–1
| Tony Bonello
| KO (punches)
| EliteXC: Return of the King
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 3:16
| Hawaii, United States
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 15–8–1
| Xavier Foupa-Pokam
| Submission (rear naked choke)
| Cage Rage 24
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 3:47
|London, England
|
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 14–8–1
| Robbie Lawler
| KO (strikes)
| EliteXC: Uprising
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 2:04
| Hawaii, United States
| Lost Elite XC Middleweight Championship
|-
| Win
|align=center| 14–7–1
| Joey Villasenor
| TKO (strikes)
| Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Baroni
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 1:05
|California
, United States
| Became First Elite XC Middleweight Champion
|-
| Win
|align=center| 13–7–1
| Alex Reid
| TKO (cut on the shin)
| Cage Rage 21
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 0:28
|London, England
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 12–7–1
| Mark Weir
| Submission (arm-triangle choke)
| Cage Rage 18
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 1:15
|London, England
|
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 11–7–1
| Denis Kang
| KO (punches)
| Pride Bushido 11
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 0:15
|Saitama, Saitama
, Japan
| Pride 2006 WW GP Opening Round
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 11–6–1
| Paulo Filho
| Decision (unanimous)
| Pride Bushido 10
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 5:00
| Tokyo, Japan
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 11–5–1
| Murad Chunkaiev
| Submission (heel hook)
| Pride 30
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 3:31
|Saitama, Saitama, Japan
| Drops to 185 lb
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 10–5–1
| Quinton Jackson
| Decision (split)
| Pride 29
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
|Saitama, Saitama, Japan
|
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 10–4–1
| Sergei Kharitonov
| KO (punches)
| Pride Total Elimination 2004
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 4:14
|Saitama, Saitama, Japan
| Pride 2004 HW GP Opening Round
|-
| Win
|align=center| 10–3–1
| Alexander Otsuka
| Submission (side choke)
| Pride 27
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 5:25
|Osaka
, Japan
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 9–3–1
| Akira Shoji
| KO (flying knee)
| Pride Shockwave 2003
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 2:24
|Saitama, Saitama, Japan
|
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 8–3–1
| Kevin Randleman
| TKO (cut)
| Pride 24
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 0:20
| Japan
|
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 8–2–1
| Ricardo Arona
| Decision (unanimous)
| Pride 23
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
| Tokyo, Japan
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 8–1–1
| Mario Sperry
| Decision (unanimous)
| Pride 20
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
|Yokohama
, Japan
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 7–1–1
| Alex Andrade
| Decision (unanimous)
| Pride 18
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
|Fukuoka, Fukuoka
, Japan
|
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 6–1–1
| Dan Henderson
| Decision (split)
| Pride 17
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
| Tokyo, Japan
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 6–0–1
| Daijiro Matsui
| TKO (soccer kicks and stomps)
| Pride 16
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 0:51
|Osaka, Japan
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 5–0–1
| Rogerio Sagate
| Submission (keylock)
| Meca World Vale Tudo 5
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 3:54
|Curitiba
, Brazil
|
|-
| Draw
|align=center| 4–0–1
| Akihiro Gono
| Draw
| Shooto
: To The Top 4
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
| Tokyo, Japan
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 4–0
| Leopoldo Serao
| TKO (cut)
| Meca World Vale Tudo 4
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 7:00
|Curitiba, Brazil
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 3–0
| Luiz Claudio das Dores
| Submission (retirement)
| Meca World Vale Tudo 3
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 3:00
|Curitiba, Brazil
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 2–0
| Israel Albuquerque
| Submission (shoulder injury)
| Meca World Vale Tudo 2
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 1:36
|Curitiba, Brazil
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 1–0
| Adriano Verdelli
| Submission (triangle choke)
| Meca World Vale Tudo 1
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 3:08
|Brazil
|
Mauricio Rua
Maurício Milani Rua is a Brazilian mixed martial artist fighting in the Ultimate Fighting Championship where he is a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion...
. He is known for his well-rounded fighting skills, in particular Muay Thai
Muay Thai
Muay Thai is a combat sport from Thailand that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques. It is similar to other Indochinese kickboxing systems, namely pradal serey from Cambodia, tomoi from Malaysia, lethwei from Myanmar and muay Lao from Laos...
and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a martial art, combat sport, and a self defense system that focuses on grappling and especially ground fighting...
. Rua is a veteran of Pride Fighting Championships, where he once enjoyed a reputation as one of the strongest middleweights in the world. Rua regularly fought at 185 pounds, but has also fought at 205 pounds and heavyweight
Heavyweight (MMA)
The heavyweight division in mixed martial arts generally groups fighters between .Although many ambiguities exist within the lower weight classes regarding division naming and weight limits, the Heavyweight division is, for the most part, uniform...
. He is the former (and first ever) Elite XC middleweight
Middleweight (MMA)
The middleweight division in mixed martial arts can refer to a number of different weight classes:*UFC's & Strikeforce's middleweight division, which groups competitors within 171 to 185 lb...
champion. He also had a successful career in British MMA appearing on both Cage Rage
Cage Rage
Cage Rage Championships, also known as Cage Rage, was a United Kingdom-based, mixed martial arts promotion that premiered on 7 September 2002 in London. Cage Rage went bankrupt and is now no longer trading...
and BAMMA
BAMMA
The British Association of Mixed Martial Arts is a mixed martial arts promotion based in the United Kingdom. It is considered by many as the biggest MMA promotion in the country. It premièred on June 27, 2009 and was shown on the television channel Bravo...
cards. He is of Portuguese and Italian descent, but was born in Brazil.
Mixed martial arts career
Rua started his career at Chute Boxe AcademyChute Boxe Academy
The Chute Boxe Academy opened as a Muay Thai academy in 1978 in Curitiba, Brazil. Head trainer Rudimar Fedrigo later expanded the program in 1991 to include Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and other aspects of modern mixed martial arts. By 1995, the Chute Boxe team was considered a prime training ground for...
in Curitiba, Brazil, a Muay Thai training group which has produced champions like Wanderlei Silva
Wanderlei Silva
Wanderlei César da Silva , nicknamed "The Axe Murderer", is a Brazilian mixed martial artist, who has competed in Japan's Pride Fighting Championships and the American based Ultimate Fighting Championship . Silva is known for his aggressive fighting style with the majority of his fights ending in...
. Ninja's first foray into MMA was with Brazilian based Meca World Vale Tudo, there he amassed an impressive 5–0–1 record before signing with Pride Fighting Championships.
Ninja made his PRIDE debut against Daijiro Matsui
Daijiro Matsui
Daijiro Matsui is a Japanese mixed martial artist who competes in the light heavyweight division. He has fought in a number of organizations including the Pride Fighting Championships and the Cage Rage Championships.-Career:...
in September 2001, which he won via referee stoppage after repeated kicks and stomps. After losing a close decision to Dan Henderson
Dan Henderson
Daniel Jeffery Henderson, is an American mixed martial artist and former Olympic wrestler, who competes as a middleweight and light heavyweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He is the former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion and was the last Welterweight and Middleweight champion...
, Rua went on to defeat such fighters as Alex Andrade, Akira Shoji, Alexander Otsuka
Alexander Otsuka
, better known by his ring name Alexander Otsuka, is a Japanese mixed martial arts fighter and professional wrestler. He competes in the Light Heavyweight division. He won his last fight at VFX - Vale Tudo Fighters Mexico against Masada Masada on May 27, 2006...
and Mario Sperry
Mario Sperry
Mario Sperry is a Brazilian heavyweight martial artist. His specialty is Brazilian jiu-jitsu, grappling and ground fighting.-Career:Sperry first broke onto the sport Jiu-Jitsu scene in the early eighties...
. The latter being the beginnings of the long lasting rivalry between Chute Boxe and Brazilian Top Team
Brazilian Top Team
The Brazilian Top Team is a mixed martial arts academy specializing in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and boxing.The academy was established in April 2000 by Murilo Bustamante, Ricardo Libório, Mário Sperry and Luis Roberto Duarte, former-members of the Carlson Gracie Academy, to develop and create new...
. Rua lost to Ricardo Arona
Ricardo Arona
Ricardo Arona is a Brazilian mixed martial artist and PRIDE FC Middleweight Grand Prix finalist. He has competed in PRIDE Fighting Championships and RINGS in his mixed martial arts career, and is a member of Brazilian Top Team.-Abu Dhabi and RINGS:...
in a close battle of attrition, and Sergei Kharitonov in the Pride Total Elimination 2004
PRIDE Total Elimination 2004
Pride Total Elimination 2004 was a mixed martial arts event held by Pride Fighting Championships. This event consisted of the first round of the 2004 Heavyweight Grand Prix...
, where he fought as a heavyweight, suffering a brutal knockout loss.
At Pride 29
PRIDE 29
Pride 29: Fists of Fire was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. The event took place on February 20, 2005 at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.- Mario Sperry vs Hirotaka Yokoi:...
, Rua faced Quinton Jackson
Quinton Jackson
Quinton Ramone Jackson ;, also known as Rampage Jackson, is an American mixed martial artist and actor. He is a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. Jackson rose to prominence in Japan's Pride Fighting Championships where he was noted for his powerful body slams including a knockout victory over...
. Jackson won via a split decision that did not seem to reflect the events of the match. Jackson appeared embarrassed with the result and attempted to offer the winner's trophy to Rua following the decision. Commentators such as Mauro Ranallo and Bas Rutten, who were present at the bout, also have stated that they thought Rua had won the fight.
Rua fought three more times in Pride, defeating newcomer Murad Chunkaiev before dropping a lacklustre decision against top ranked Paulo Filho
Paulo Filho
Paulo Fernando de Souza Leite Filho, better known as simply Paulo Filho , is a retired Brazilian mixed martial artist as well as a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Judo practitioner, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil...
. Nevertheless, Rua was selected as part of the Pride welterweight (185 pound) Grand Prix. In the opening bracket, however, he was knocked out by Denis Kang
Denis Kang
Denis Kang is a Canadian mixed martial artist of Korean French descent. He was the PRIDE FC welterweight grand prix finalist in which he lost to Kazuo Misaki...
. Rua then left Pride for a tenure with British MMA promotion Cage Rage
Cage Rage
Cage Rage Championships, also known as Cage Rage, was a United Kingdom-based, mixed martial arts promotion that premiered on 7 September 2002 in London. Cage Rage went bankrupt and is now no longer trading...
in order to strengthen the tie between the two promotions. His first bout, against English UFC veteran Mark Weir
Mark Weir
Mark Anthony Weir is an English mixed martial artist usually fighting in the middleweight division at 185 lbs. He has fought in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, and Pride Fighting Championships, and is the former Cage Rage British middleweight champion- Biography :Mark Weir lives in...
, resulted in a victory by submission after a rough and tumble affair. He also defeated Alex Reid
Alex Reid
Alex Reid is a British actress, born and raised in Cornwall and trained at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art.-Acting:She portrayed the probation officer Sally in E4's Misfits and also the character of Captain Caroline Walsh in Seasons 1 and 2 of ITV's SAS drama Ultimate Force.She played...
via doctor stoppage before the newly created EliteXC organization purchased Cage Rage, therefore he fought for the vacant Elite XC middleweight at Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Baroni against Greg Jackson trained Joey Villasenor
Joey Villasenor
Joey Villaseñor is a Mexican American mixed martial arts fighter. He is a PRIDE Fighting Championships veteran, as well as the middleweight champion in King of the Cage. Joey has also fought in Showtime's EliteXC promotion and took part in PRIDE's welterweight grand prix. He currently trains...
and recorded a second round TKO, stopping Villasenor with strikes. After three months as the champion, his first title defense came to ICON sport middleweight champion Robbie Lawler
Robbie Lawler
Robert Glen "Robbie" Lawler is an American mixed martial artist Lawler was the EliteXC middleweight champion before EliteXC filed for bankruptcy. Lawler has recently signed with Strikeforce. He is a member of Team Hughes fighting out of H.I.T...
. Despite narrowly winning the first two rounds, an exhausted Ninja was defeated via a third round TKO at EliteXC: Uprising
EliteXC: Uprising
EliteXC: Uprising was a mixed martial arts event promoted by EliteXC and co-promoted by Icon Sport and Rumble World Entertainment. The event took place on Saturday, September 15, 2007 at the Neal S. Blaisdell Arena in Oahu, Hawaii. The main card aired on Showtime, with 5 of the untelevised matches...
. He rebounded with a victory over Muay Thai fighter and Cage Rage contender Xavier Foupa-Pokam
Xavier Foupa-Pokam
Xavier Foupa-Pokam is a French mixed martial artist from Paris. Foupa-Pokam is best known for his brief career in the Ultimate Fighting Championships in their middleweight division, and his long career in British MMA with promotions such as BAMMA and Cage Rage...
at Cage Rage 24: Feel the pain.
On December 18, 2007, Sherdog.com reported that both Rua and his brother Mauricio had left the Chute Boxe camp with plans to open up their own facility in Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. The Ruas' new camp was named Universidade da luta
Universidade da luta
Universidade da Luta is a team of Brazilian martial arts created by the fighters Mauricio Rua, Andre Amade, Mauricio Veio and Murilo Rua after their departure from the Chute Boxe Academy Team, in 2008. The name translates in English to "University of Fighting".The team’s headquarters is located in...
, which translates to "University of Fighting", and instead was opened in the Ruas' hometown of Curitiba, Brazil.
Rua was initially scheduled to fight Phil Baroni
Phil Baroni
Philip George Baroni is an American mixed martial artist. He has a professional MMA record of 14–14–0. Baroni has fought in the Ultimate Fighting Championship where he holds a record of 3–7–0. Also he has fought in the PRIDE FC where he holds a record of 4–2–0...
on the May 31, 2008, EliteXC card, however, he suffered a minor foot injury which led him to fight on the June 14 card instead, where he recorded a dominant KO victory over undefeated Tony Bonello
Tony Bonello
Tony Bonello is an Australian mixed martial artist and Gracie Jiu-Jitsu practitioner who currently competes in the King of the Cage.-Mixed martial arts career:...
. On October 4, 2008, Rua was defeated by Benji Radach
Benji Radach
Benji Russell Radach is an American mixed martial arts fighter. He is a former member of the Los Angeles Anacondas of the International Fight League.-Biography:...
on a live CBS broadcast. Radach finished the fight with punches to Rua's head after a failed flying knee sent him sprawling on his back.
Rua made his Dream
DREAM (mixed martial arts)
Dream is a mixed martial arts organization promoted by former PRIDE FC executives and K-1 promoter Fighting and Entertainment Group. DREAM replaced FEG's previous-run mixed martial arts fight series, Hero's. The series retains many of the stylistic flourishes and personnel from Pride FC...
debut at Dream 8
Dream 8
DREAM.8: Welter Weight Grand Prix 2009 First Round was a mixed martial arts event promoted by Fighting and Entertainment Group's mixed martial arts promotion Dream on April 5, 2009. Unlike Dream's past tournaments, the Welter Weight Grand Prix is only scheduled to have eight participants...
against Riki Fukuda
Riki Fukuda
Riki Fukuda is a Japanese mixed martial artist who currently fights in the Ultimate Fighting Championship as a middleweight.-Early career:...
on April 5, 2009. His original opponent was supposed to be Dong Sik Yoon but Dong was injured and Riki was found as a late replacement. Rua went on to lose against Riki by unanimous decision. After winning both of his latest bouts at Bitetti Combat MMA 4 and Bitetti Combat MMA 5 in the Light Heavyweight division, Rua hinted that he will continue fighting at 205 lb.
Rua was supposed to fight Falaniko Vitale at Shine Fights 3 on May 15, 2010. The middleweight bout between Falaniko Vitale and Rua, previously announced for Shine Fights Worlds Collide: Mayorga vs. Thomas, was scrapped due to an injury sustained by Vitale.
Rua was planning to participate in Dream 14, though that event canceling led to other plans
Rua beat Jeremy May on July 18, 2010 at Impact Fighting Championships
Impact Fighting Championships
Impact Fighting Championships is an Australian mixed martial arts promotion. The promotion held two of three planned events in July 2010 featuring veteran fighters of Ultimate Fighting Championship and Pride Fighting Championships...
by submission via guillotine choke.
Rua lost to Cesar Gracie product Roy Boughton via unanimous decision on . Boughton missed weight by 11 lbs.
"Ninja" fought Tom Watson
Tom Watson (fighter)
Tom "Kong" Watson is an English mixed martial artist, currently fighting at middleweight and training at Tristar Gym in Montreal, Canada and Jackson's Submission Fighting in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He is known for his unorthodox entrances, dancing to the ring in a gorilla mask...
for the BAMMA Middleweight Title on May 21, 2011. The fight proved to be a one sided affair, with Rua being rocked several times throughout the fight, as well as being visibly hurt with leg kicks. The end came at 2:06 of the third round after Watson stunned Rua with a head kick and followed up with strikes until the referee stepped in to save the unconscious Rua.
After Rua loss against Tom Watson, he said he would not continue fighting and would retire.
Personal life
Rua and longtime girlfriend Ana married on October 8, 2004 in CuritibaCuritiba
Curitiba is the capital of the Brazilian state of Paraná. It is the largest city with the biggest economy of both Paraná and southern Brazil. The population of Curitiba numbers approximately 1.75 million people and the latest GDP figures for the city surpass US$61 billion according to...
, Brazil. The couple have two sons,one who was born in August 2008 and one named Jose Lucas who was born March 15, 2010.
Mixed martial arts
- EliteXC
- EliteXC Middleweight Championship (1 Time, First)
Mixed martial arts record
|-| Loss
|align=center| 20-12-1
| Tom Watson
Tom Watson (fighter)
Tom "Kong" Watson is an English mixed martial artist, currently fighting at middleweight and training at Tristar Gym in Montreal, Canada and Jackson's Submission Fighting in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He is known for his unorthodox entrances, dancing to the ring in a gorilla mask...
| KO (head kick and punches)
| BAMMA 6
BAMMA 6
BAMMA 6: Watson vs. Rua was a mixed martial arts event held by the British Association of Mixed Martial Arts on 21 May 2011 at the Wembley Arena in London, England.-Background:BAMMA 6 was announced during the television presentation of BAMMA 5....
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 2:06
|London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
| For the BAMMA Middleweight Championship
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 20–11–1
| Roy Boughton
Roy Boughton
Roy Boughton is an American professional mixed martial arts fighter. He has previously fought for Warrior-1 MMA.-MMA career:...
| Decision (unanimous)
| W-1 New Ground
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
|Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
, Canada
| Boughton missed contracted weight (190) by 5.5 pounds
|-
| Win
|align=center| 20–10–1
| Jeremy May
| Submission (guillotine choke)
| Impact FC 2
Impact FC 2
Impact FC 2 - The Uprising: Sydney was a mixed martial arts event held by Impact Fighting Championships on 18 July 2010 at the Sydney Entertainment Centre in Sydney, Australia.-Background:Big John McCarthy was the referee for the series....
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 4:12
|Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia
| Fought at 185 lb
|-
| Win
|align=center| 19–10–1
| Arturo Arcemendes
| Submission (arm-triangle choke)
| Bitetti Combat MMA 7
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 1:27
|Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, Brazil
| Fought at 205 lb
|-
| Win
|align=center| 18–10–1
| Jason Jones
Jason Jones (fighter)
Jason Jones is a Dutch professional mixed martial arts fighter. He currently fights for United Glory.-MMA career:Jones made his professional MMA debut in May 2004 against Matt Hershberger, where he won by guillotine choke in just 21 seconds...
| TKO (punches)
| Bitetti Combat MMA 5
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 3:20
|São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
, Brazil
| Fought at 205 lb
|-
| Win
|align=center| 17–10–1
| Alex Stiebling
Alex Stiebling
Alex Stiebling is an American mixed martial arts fighter. He previously fought in Pride Fighting Championships, World Extreme Cagefighting, and Ultimate Fighting Championship...
| TKO (head kick and strikes)
| Bitetti Combat MMA 4
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 0:39
|Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| Fought at 205 lb
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 16–10–1
| Riki Fukuda
Riki Fukuda
Riki Fukuda is a Japanese mixed martial artist who currently fights in the Ultimate Fighting Championship as a middleweight.-Early career:...
| Decision (unanimous)
| Dream 8
Dream 8
DREAM.8: Welter Weight Grand Prix 2009 First Round was a mixed martial arts event promoted by Fighting and Entertainment Group's mixed martial arts promotion Dream on April 5, 2009. Unlike Dream's past tournaments, the Welter Weight Grand Prix is only scheduled to have eight participants...
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 5:00
|Nagoya, Japan
|
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 16–9–1
| Benji Radach
Benji Radach
Benji Russell Radach is an American mixed martial arts fighter. He is a former member of the Los Angeles Anacondas of the International Fight League.-Biography:...
| KO (punches)
| EliteXC: Heat
EliteXC: Heat
EliteXC: Heat was a mixed martial arts event held by EliteXC on October 4, 2008 in Sunrise, Florida at the Bank Atlantic Center.It would be the last for the promotion....
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 2:31
|Sunrise, Florida
Sunrise, Florida
-Overview:Sunrise is a city in southwestern Broward County, Florida, United States. It was incorporated in 1961 by Norman Johnson – a developer whose World Famous Upside-Down House attracted buyers to what was then a remote area...
, United States
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 16–8–1
| Tony Bonello
Tony Bonello
Tony Bonello is an Australian mixed martial artist and Gracie Jiu-Jitsu practitioner who currently competes in the King of the Cage.-Mixed martial arts career:...
| KO (punches)
| EliteXC: Return of the King
EliteXC: Return of the King
EliteXC: Return of the King was a mixed martial arts event promoted by EliteXC that took place on Saturday, June 14, 2008 at the Neal S. Blaisdell Arena in Oahu, Hawaii. The main card aired live on Showtime. The Welterweight title bout of Jake Shields vs. Drew Fickett was removed from the...
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 3:16
| Hawaii, United States
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 15–8–1
| Xavier Foupa-Pokam
Xavier Foupa-Pokam
Xavier Foupa-Pokam is a French mixed martial artist from Paris. Foupa-Pokam is best known for his brief career in the Ultimate Fighting Championships in their middleweight division, and his long career in British MMA with promotions such as BAMMA and Cage Rage...
| Submission (rear naked choke)
| Cage Rage 24
Cage Rage 24
out dated: see http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/316996_2473542808109_1538580287_32616791_798713040_n.jpgCage Rage 24: Feel the Pain was a mixed martial arts event held by the Cage Rage Championships on December 1, 2007 at the Wembley Arena in London, England...
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 3:47
|London, England
|
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 14–8–1
| Robbie Lawler
Robbie Lawler
Robert Glen "Robbie" Lawler is an American mixed martial artist Lawler was the EliteXC middleweight champion before EliteXC filed for bankruptcy. Lawler has recently signed with Strikeforce. He is a member of Team Hughes fighting out of H.I.T...
| KO (strikes)
| EliteXC: Uprising
EliteXC: Uprising
EliteXC: Uprising was a mixed martial arts event promoted by EliteXC and co-promoted by Icon Sport and Rumble World Entertainment. The event took place on Saturday, September 15, 2007 at the Neal S. Blaisdell Arena in Oahu, Hawaii. The main card aired on Showtime, with 5 of the untelevised matches...
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 2:04
| Hawaii, United States
| Lost Elite XC Middleweight Championship
|-
| Win
|align=center| 14–7–1
| Joey Villasenor
Joey Villasenor
Joey Villaseñor is a Mexican American mixed martial arts fighter. He is a PRIDE Fighting Championships veteran, as well as the middleweight champion in King of the Cage. Joey has also fought in Showtime's EliteXC promotion and took part in PRIDE's welterweight grand prix. He currently trains...
| TKO (strikes)
| Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Baroni
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 1:05
|California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, United States
| Became First Elite XC Middleweight Champion
|-
| Win
|align=center| 13–7–1
| Alex Reid
Alex Reid
Alex Reid is a British actress, born and raised in Cornwall and trained at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art.-Acting:She portrayed the probation officer Sally in E4's Misfits and also the character of Captain Caroline Walsh in Seasons 1 and 2 of ITV's SAS drama Ultimate Force.She played...
| TKO (cut on the shin)
| Cage Rage 21
Cage Rage 21
Cage Rage 21: Judgement Day was a mixed martial arts event held by the Cage Rage Championships on April 21, 2007 at the Wembley Arena in London, England. It was televised on Sky Sports in the United Kingdom and Ion Television in the United States....
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 0:28
|London, England
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 12–7–1
| Mark Weir
Mark Weir
Mark Anthony Weir is an English mixed martial artist usually fighting in the middleweight division at 185 lbs. He has fought in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, and Pride Fighting Championships, and is the former Cage Rage British middleweight champion- Biography :Mark Weir lives in...
| Submission (arm-triangle choke)
| Cage Rage 18
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 1:15
|London, England
|
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 11–7–1
| Denis Kang
Denis Kang
Denis Kang is a Canadian mixed martial artist of Korean French descent. He was the PRIDE FC welterweight grand prix finalist in which he lost to Kazuo Misaki...
| KO (punches)
| Pride Bushido 11
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 0:15
|Saitama, Saitama
Saitama, Saitama
' is the capital and the most populous city of Saitama Prefecture in Japan, situated in the south-east of the prefecture. Its area incorporates the former cities of Urawa, Ōmiya, Yono and Iwatsuki. It is a city designated by government ordinance...
, Japan
| Pride 2006 WW GP Opening Round
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 11–6–1
| Paulo Filho
Paulo Filho
Paulo Fernando de Souza Leite Filho, better known as simply Paulo Filho , is a retired Brazilian mixed martial artist as well as a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Judo practitioner, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil...
| Decision (unanimous)
| Pride Bushido 10
PRIDE Bushido 10
Pride Bushido 10 was a mixed martial arts event held by Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at the Ariake Coliseum in Tokyo, Japan on April 2, 2006...
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 5:00
| Tokyo, Japan
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 11–5–1
| Murad Chunkaiev
| Submission (heel hook)
| Pride 30
PRIDE 30
Pride 30: Starting Over was a mixed martial arts event held by Pride Fighting Championships on October 23, 2005 at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.- Henry "Sentoryu" Miller vs Zuluzinho:...
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 3:31
|Saitama, Saitama, Japan
| Drops to 185 lb
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 10–5–1
| Quinton Jackson
Quinton Jackson
Quinton Ramone Jackson ;, also known as Rampage Jackson, is an American mixed martial artist and actor. He is a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. Jackson rose to prominence in Japan's Pride Fighting Championships where he was noted for his powerful body slams including a knockout victory over...
| Decision (split)
| Pride 29
PRIDE 29
Pride 29: Fists of Fire was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. The event took place on February 20, 2005 at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.- Mario Sperry vs Hirotaka Yokoi:...
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
|Saitama, Saitama, Japan
|
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 10–4–1
| Sergei Kharitonov
| KO (punches)
| Pride Total Elimination 2004
PRIDE Total Elimination 2004
Pride Total Elimination 2004 was a mixed martial arts event held by Pride Fighting Championships. This event consisted of the first round of the 2004 Heavyweight Grand Prix...
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 4:14
|Saitama, Saitama, Japan
| Pride 2004 HW GP Opening Round
|-
| Win
|align=center| 10–3–1
| Alexander Otsuka
Alexander Otsuka
, better known by his ring name Alexander Otsuka, is a Japanese mixed martial arts fighter and professional wrestler. He competes in the Light Heavyweight division. He won his last fight at VFX - Vale Tudo Fighters Mexico against Masada Masada on May 27, 2006...
| Submission (side choke)
| Pride 27
PRIDE 27
PRIDE 27: Inferno was a mixed martial arts event held by the PRIDE Fighting Championships. The event took place at the Osaka Castle Hall on February 1st, 2004.- Dan Bobish vs. Igor Vovchanchyn:...
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 5:25
|Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
, Japan
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 9–3–1
| Akira Shoji
| KO (flying knee)
| Pride Shockwave 2003
PRIDE Shockwave 2003
Pride Shockwave 2003 was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. Gary Goodridge announced he would retire from Pride. It took place at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan on December 31, 2003.- Quinton Jackson vs. Ikuhisa Minowa:Jackson defeated Minowa by TKO ...
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 2:24
|Saitama, Saitama, Japan
|
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 8–3–1
| Kevin Randleman
Kevin Randleman
Kevin Christopher Randleman is a retired American mixed martial arts fighter and a former UFC heavyweight champion. Randleman's background is in Collegiate wrestling. Wrestling at 177 pounds, Randleman was a two time Division I NCAA Champion for The Ohio State University...
| TKO (cut)
| Pride 24
PRIDE 24
Pride 24: Cold Fury 3 was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at the Marine Messe Fukuoka in Fukuoka, Japan on December 23, 2002.- Daijiro Matsui vs. Kazuki Okubo:...
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 0:20
| Japan
|
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 8–2–1
| Ricardo Arona
Ricardo Arona
Ricardo Arona is a Brazilian mixed martial artist and PRIDE FC Middleweight Grand Prix finalist. He has competed in PRIDE Fighting Championships and RINGS in his mixed martial arts career, and is a member of Brazilian Top Team.-Abu Dhabi and RINGS:...
| Decision (unanimous)
| Pride 23
PRIDE 23
Pride 23: Championship Chaos 2 was a mixed martial arts event held by Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan on November 24, 2002.- Jerrel Venetiaan vs. Hirotaka Yokoi:...
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
| Tokyo, Japan
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 8–1–1
| Mario Sperry
Mario Sperry
Mario Sperry is a Brazilian heavyweight martial artist. His specialty is Brazilian jiu-jitsu, grappling and ground fighting.-Career:Sperry first broke onto the sport Jiu-Jitsu scene in the early eighties...
| Decision (unanimous)
| Pride 20
PRIDE 20
Pride 20: Armed and Ready was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at the Yokohama Arena in Yokohama, Japan on April 28, 2002.-Results:...
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
|Yokohama
Yokohama
is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...
, Japan
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 7–1–1
| Alex Andrade
| Decision (unanimous)
| Pride 18
PRIDE 18
Pride 18: Cold Fury 2 was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at the Marine Messe Fukuoka in Fukuoka, Japan on December 23, 2001.-Results:...
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
|Fukuoka, Fukuoka
Fukuoka, Fukuoka
is the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture and is situated on the northern shore of the island of Kyushu in Japan.Voted number 14 in a 2010 poll of the World's Most Livable Cities, Fukuoka is praised for its green spaces in a metropolitan setting. It is the most populous city in Kyushu, followed by...
, Japan
|
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 6–1–1
| Dan Henderson
Dan Henderson
Daniel Jeffery Henderson, is an American mixed martial artist and former Olympic wrestler, who competes as a middleweight and light heavyweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He is the former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion and was the last Welterweight and Middleweight champion...
| Decision (split)
| Pride 17
PRIDE 17
Pride 17: Championship Chaos was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan on November 3, 2001. This event also saw the crowning of the first Pride FC Heavyweight and Middleweight champions.-Results: Renzo Gracie vs. ...
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
| Tokyo, Japan
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 6–0–1
| Daijiro Matsui
Daijiro Matsui
Daijiro Matsui is a Japanese mixed martial artist who competes in the light heavyweight division. He has fought in a number of organizations including the Pride Fighting Championships and the Cage Rage Championships.-Career:...
| TKO (soccer kicks and stomps)
| Pride 16
PRIDE 16
Pride 16: Beasts From the East was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships on September 24, 2001 at the Osaka Castle Hall in Japan. The fight card featured 7 fights that night, including the return of Don Frye to MMA...
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 0:51
|Osaka, Japan
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 5–0–1
| Rogerio Sagate
| Submission (keylock)
| Meca World Vale Tudo 5
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 3:54
|Curitiba
Curitiba
Curitiba is the capital of the Brazilian state of Paraná. It is the largest city with the biggest economy of both Paraná and southern Brazil. The population of Curitiba numbers approximately 1.75 million people and the latest GDP figures for the city surpass US$61 billion according to...
, Brazil
|
|-
| Draw
|align=center| 4–0–1
| Akihiro Gono
Akihiro Gono
is a Japanese mixed martial artist who currently fights as a welterweight. He is best known for his clever and deceptive fighting style, and for his flashy ring entrances. His fighting style is characterized by skillfully avoiding strikes, using fast counter punches and generally getting the...
| Draw
| Shooto
Shooto
Shooto is a mixed martial arts organization that is governed by the Shooto Association and the International Shooto Commission. Shooto was originally formed in 1985, as an organization and as a particular fighting system derived from shoot wrestling. Practitioners are referred to as shooters,...
: To The Top 4
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
| Tokyo, Japan
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 4–0
| Leopoldo Serao
| TKO (cut)
| Meca World Vale Tudo 4
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 7:00
|Curitiba, Brazil
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 3–0
| Luiz Claudio das Dores
| Submission (retirement)
| Meca World Vale Tudo 3
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 3:00
|Curitiba, Brazil
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 2–0
| Israel Albuquerque
| Submission (shoulder injury)
| Meca World Vale Tudo 2
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 1:36
|Curitiba, Brazil
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 1–0
| Adriano Verdelli
| Submission (triangle choke)
| Meca World Vale Tudo 1
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 3:08
|Brazil
|