Murilo "NINJA" Rua
PDG: Since your loss to Robbie Lawler; what have you been doing? Do you have any lingering injuries from that fight?
Ninja: I changed some things in my training, now I have a new guy from Cuba helping me in the wrestling and physical preparation. Aleho Morales, he has an excellent background with the Cuban Olympic Team. Beside that I'm training hard with the Chute Boxe Team and I'm in shape again. Thank God that I didn't have any serious injury in the fight against Rob.
PDG: Have you begun your training for the December 1st fight against Xavier Foupa-Pokam? Are you training differently for this fight than you did for the Lawler fight?
Ninja: As I told you I am giving more attention to the wrestling and two weeks after the fight against Rob I was training again, it is my job. I love to fight and I have plans to have at least 4 fights in 2008, with one of them being for the Cage Rage belt.
PDG: What do you know about your next opponent?
Ninja: That we won his last fight in Cage Rage, he's dangerous and aggressive, like me.
PDG: Your Last fight was in Hawaii. You live in Curitiba. Your next fight is in Europe. Does the constant change in locations/time zones affect your preparation and performance in your fights?
Ninja: The trips are a little boring, for example: there are no flights from Brazil to Hawaii with no stops. It was a 16 hour flight to Honolulu and it was difficult but never an excuse for the loss. I like living in Curitiba but maybe in 2008 I will move to the USA, I am talking about this with the Team and my family. The other thing that is important to take care of is the food. It is totally different than my routine here in Curitiba and during the travels, but that's ok. We must learn to deal with this.
PDG: There was some action in the ring after your fight with Lawler ended. What happened between your corner and the referee Mario Yamasaki?
Ninja: I'm not sure about that. Someone told me that he took to much time to finish the fight. I think that he was right, as a fight for the belt involves a lot of things that the referee must know about. The event and that the fans want to see the fight until the referee is sure that it is the moment to finish it.
PDG: What was your opinion/evaluation of your brother Shogun's fight with Forrest Griffin?
Ninja: Shogun had some problems in his preparation. He had an injury to his knee (he had already passed on a surgery), the wedding and his new home but any of those would just be an excuse. He knows about that and we must respect Forrest and his win. I'm sure that if Shogun was well trained the fight would be totally different but it is just time to review the mistakes and move on. I'm sure that we will see Shogun with the UFC belt very soon as he will be back better than ever!!!
PDG: Ninja, is there anything else that you would like to tell your fans?
Ninja: Thanks to all the fans that sent me messages after the fight in Hawaii. No one likes to lose but my fans understand that I gave my best in the fight. Now my goal is the Cage Rage belt and I'm working for that and I'm very happy because EliteXC recognized my efforts and I already have renewed my contract with the them. I'm able to fight in the Cage Rage events in 2008 and in the USA with Elite XC. When you lose a fight and the organization calls you to talk about a new contract (I had one more fight in EliteXC in my old contract) because they are happy with your performance. It makes me very happy to be with them too.
Mauricio “SHOGUN” Rua
PDG: Since your successful knee surgery. How does the knee feel and what will be your recovery time-frame until you can start training again?
Shogun: The knee is great, the surgery was a success and the doctor told me that everything is running better than the original schedule. I'm already doing physiotherapy and I think that I will be fight training in December. I will be back fighting in February or March, I hope so!!!!
PDG: Can you give fans your breakdown of your fight with Forrest. What went right and what went wrong?
Shogun: I don’t like to give excuses, I lost and that's it, period. Nothing went right; I assume this and the injury interfered in my training. Specifically in regards to training kicks and running. I also had a lot of new things in my life, a wedding and a new home, but it is no problem, let’s move ahead. I don’t want to talk about the past, let’s see what is coming next. I'm still very young and I know that I can get the UFC belt in the future; I will be back better than ever.
PDG: Can you describe the difference between fighting in the PRIDE ring and the UFC cage?
Shogun: In the cage the fight is more aggressive and there are no corners to get a break. I already fought in the Cage before with no problem; my defeat doesn't have anything to do with the Cage or Ring.
PDG: What adjustments will you have to make before your next fight?
Shogun: It’s too early to say, for now I want to be ok with my knee but for sure more focus in the training and more hours inside the Chute Boxe Academy. I will work more on my physical training too.
PDG: You are not the first PRIDE veteran to lose in the octagon this year. Examples include Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic, Dan Henderson, Heath Herring and Yushin Okami. What are your thoughts?
Shogun: It is just coincidence as I have read some things on some websites talking about this subject. That UFC fighters were always better than PRIDE fighters but those people forgot Quinton Jackson. I think that the guy came to the UFC after 3 terrible defeats in PRIDE (to me and Wanderlei Silva twice), now though he has the UFC belt, so.......
PDG: Do you want a rematch with Forrest or a new opponent?
Shogun: I don’t like to choose my opponents, I want the UFC belt and I'm sure that Forrest will be in my way to accomplish this. So a rematch is just a matter of time.
PDG: Dan Henderson has reportedly rejected a fight with Tito Ortiz. Would you fight Ortiz?
Shogun: As I told you, I don't choose my opponents but I can fight Ortiz, no problem. Now that I have a recent defeat I will need to prove that I can have the UFC belt and Ortiz is probably living with the same situation. There is good chance for this fight to happen.
PDG: Now that you have been in the UFC for a little while. What are the differences between PRIDE and the UFC? In regards to business outside and inside of the cage/ring?
Shogun: Both events are very professional, I can't complain about the way that they have treated me. I got a lot respect and a lot of attention. The American fans make more noise then the Japanese and the noise inside the gymnasium is incredible. You know that the Japanese culture is very different with regards to the language and the way that they face the business. For us, the Brazilians we have more in common with the American culture, it is easier to understand and USA is the land of the promotion and marketing.
PDG: How many more fights are on your UFC contract?
Shogun: 3 fights and I want to make all of them happen in 2008, I hope so!!!
PDG: Fedor Emelianenko signed with M-1 and Randy Couture quit the UFC. Can you give me your thoughts on both events and do you think they will eventually fight in the new M-1 organization?
Shogun: I like the idea to have more Events like the UFC and PRIDE. It is good for the sport, the fighters and for the fans. Someone told me about the money offers for both (Fedor and Randy), if the numbers are true I'm sure that it is great news for all of the fighters, the sport is going for a new level. M-1 for now is a good promise, UFC is a reality and I think that Fedor is trying to get the best for his career. Randy is the UFC image and maybe there is something that they will fix and we will see him in the UFC again.
PDG: Your brother Ninja also suffered a loss the same week as yours. He will be fighting in Cage Rage 24 on December 1st. Has he recovered from his fight with Lawler and has he made any changes to his training?
Shogun: He’s ok; Ninja is a tuff guy and is very professional. Two weeks after the fight he was training again. Now he’s training with a guy from Cuba, a wrestling coach that works with physical training too. He has told me that he is very happy with this and that the MMA training in Chute Boxe is very heavy.
PDG: Is there anything else that you would like to tell your fans?
Shogun: Thanks again for the many emails that I had after my surgery, supporting me and giving me a lot of motivation to come back as soon as possible. I will prove to all my fans that I can have the UFC belt and that is a compromise that I assume with all my fans.
To see full interview with pictures: http://www.punchdrunkgamer.com/interviewsShogun&Ninja.html
