Maurício Rua

A PRIDE Grand Prix winner who later captured UFC gold before an iconic rivalry with Jon Jones and Dan Henderson.

Maurício Milani Rua was born on 25 November 1981 in Curitiba, Brazil, of Italian and Portuguese descent, to a father who ran his own business, and trained alongside his older brother, Murilo, at the famed Chute Boxe Academy, learning Muay Thai and Brazilian jiu-jitsu under coach Rudimar Fedrigo before earning his black belt from Antônio "Nino" Schembri. Rua, nicknamed "Shogun," turned professional in 2002 and became one of the most feared light heavyweights of the PRIDE Fighting Championships era, winning the promotion's prestigious 2005 Middleweight (205-pound) Grand Prix with a series of dominant performances built around his relentless kicks, stomps, and soccer kicks to grounded opponents. Rua moved to the UFC and won the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship in 2010, submitting Lyoto Machida in a rematch, and went on to compete in a series of celebrated wars against opponents including Dan Henderson, Chuck Liddell, and Quinton Jackson across a UFC tenure spanning over a decade. Rua retired in 2023 with 27 professional wins, and was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2024, with UFC president Dana White calling him "one of the greatest Brazilian athletes in combat sports history," a fitting tribute to a career defined by fearless, action-packed fights across two of the sport's most storied promotions.

Rua is known for his aggressive, well-rounded fighting style that combines devastating Muay Thai striking with solid Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu ground skills. His signature weapons include powerful leg kicks, sharp boxing combinations, and excellent clinch work. He possesses knockout power in both hands and has shown exceptional finishing ability throughout his career.

Shogun Rua is considered one of the greatest light heavyweights of all time, bridging the gap between PRIDE and UFC eras with consistent elite-level performances against top competition.

• PRIDE 2005 Middleweight (205 lb) Grand Prix Champion
• UFC Light Heavyweight Champion 2010