Okay, got that outta my system. Mauricio Rua has been constantly dealing with nagging knee injuries since making his UFC debut against Forrest Griffin. There were a ton who believed he'd run through the UFC's light heavyweight division and prove he was the best 205er in the world. It didn't happen that way. He was bodied by Forrest for three rounds and choked out in the third. The win for Griffin secured him a title shot against Quinton Jackson. The loss showed the world that Shogun needed to train as hard as his contemporaries to be a threat in the UFC.
Tonight was Shogun's chance to prove to everyone that he isn't a fighter to disregard. He came in from the best camp in his career since his Chute Boxe days and fully committed to Rafael Cordeiro's training regiment. It paid off. Shogun looked just a step faster than Forrest the entire time, connecting with combinations while Forrest's punches came up empty. A right hand dropped Forrest and Shogun looked for the finish. In what has now become a theme in all of Forrest Griffin's fights, his inability to take punches off his back ultimately led to his downfall. Shogun rained down heavy shots and the referee was forced to stop the fight.
Shogun is now 4-3 in the UFC and 20-5 overall in his career. If he can stay healthy, he has the ability to challenge for the light heavyweight belt with another win. The biggest question for him is his knees. Forrest on the other hand needs to reevaluate his stance on the sport. Now 9-5 in the UFC and 18-7 overall, he's been on record saying that he having trouble getting motivated to train. With a child on the way in the next 10 days and a wife at home, is tonight the last time we've seen Forrest Griffin in the UFC?
SBN coverage of UFC 134: Rio