Marco Ruas MMAMemories.com Exclusive Biofile Published by Scoop Malinowski Last Updated on March 8th, 2008

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STATUS: Legend and pioneer of MMA. Creator of Ruas Vale Tudo, the visionary fight academy in Rio De Janeiro. Currently the coach of the IFL’s Southern California Condors.

HT: 6-1 WT: 210

DOB: January 23, 1961 IN: Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

FIGHT INSPIRATIONS: “I have a lot of guys. Boxing guys like Holyfield, Mike Tyson. And now in MMA – Randy Couture. But long time ago, a guy from Brazil – Letao. He teach me, show me a lot of moves. Holyfield – I read his book. So nice. Very good story, very smart man.”

HOBBIES/INTERESTS: “I train fighters, teach classes every day. Train, swimming, running. Spend time with my family.”

NICKNAMES: “The King of the Streets. Ruas is ‘streets’ in Portuguese.”

FAVORITE MOVIES: “Action movies and suspense movies.”

FAVORITE TV SHOWS: “No, I haven’t. My daughter and wife like American TV but I watch Brazilian TV. But I watched Dancing With The Stars, the one guy from boxing (Floyd Mayweather).”

MUSICAL TASTES: “Brazilian music [laughs]. But also I like romance music.”

FIRST JOB: “Long time ago in Brazil. I don’t know how to say it in English. It was for big engineer company, when the bank calls, I go to bank to deposit money (age 14).”

CURRENT CAR: “Ford Explorer 2007. (Color?) Champagne. I like black but my wife went with champagne. I switched from Expedition last week.”

FIRST FIGHTING MEMORY: “My first fight was in MMA long time ago in Brazil. It was against Fernando Pinduka in 1984. He was a Carlson Gracie student. Tough fight. It was a draw. At that time if there was no submission or knockout at the end of time, the fight was a draw. Tough fight.”

FAVORITE MEAL: “Brazilian my wife cooks, I eat everything – beans, rice, with fish, chicken, halibut, a lot of shrimp too. Pasta in the morning helps me with training.”

FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR: “I don’t like, but sometimes I eat strawberry. My wife loves.”

PRE-FIGHT FEELING: “Fight for my dream.”

LAST BOOK READ: “The Secret.”

CHILDHOOD DREAM: “Be good at martial arts. I was a big fan of Bruce Lee. My dream as a boy was to capture Black belt. I don’t think about professional fighting.”

GREATEST SPORTS MOMENT: “UFC 7, three fights in one night, no weight division. Brawl In Buffalo (N.Y. in ’95). I fight Larry Cureton (W submission 1st round), Remco Pardoel (W submission), and Paul Varelans (W TKO strikes). I beat three guys in same night.”

MOST PAINFUL MOMENT(S): “One time in Japan (Pride 4), when I lost to Japanese guy (Alexander) Otsuka, nobody, no name. I went to Japan, hurt my knee in training. Took a lot of anti-inflammatories. In the fight I was very tired. In second round I can’t continue. And my last fight in May against Maurice Smith. My corner throw in the towel in fourth round. Very bad. A lot of problems, (I’m an) old guy. And 1999 first fight with Maurice Smith. I knock my knee out.”

WORST INJURY: “I think that is my ACL, broke my ACL in training. In the last fight with Maurice Smith I broke my cheekbone.”

FAVORITE FIGHTERS TO WATCH: “Now, Randy Couture. Minotauro. My student Pedro Rizzo fight good. And I like the one guy from Sambo, Dutch guy. I forget his name right now. Fedor too. Very smart fighter. Very explosive.”

BEST FIGHT YOU’VE SEEN: “Long time ago, Shogun in Pride against Minotauro. Good fight, very good action, great fight. And Couture-Gonzaga. Great fight.”

FUNNY MEMORY: “When I fight a long time ago in ’95, the guy hold my neck. So my technique (to counter it) – I step on his foot with my heel. It so funny. When I step on his foot, he take off my neck, I take him down and I win the fight. It was against Remco Pardoel of Holland.”

EMBARRASSING MEMORY: “Yeah, when I come back for Maurice Smith, it’s embarrassing. I feel my knee. I don’t come back for second round. I feel bad.”

WHAT FIGHT DID YOU FEEL YOUR ABSOLUTE BEST: “In best shape, best cardio, best shape – 34 years old and I feel great. When I fought Oleg Taktarov, Keith Hackney when I was 34. Also when I beat Pat Smith in 30 seconds – I think this was my finest performance (at World Vale Tudo Championships 4 in ’97). .”

LAST VACATION: “I went to Hawaii with my family.”

PEOPLE QUALITIES MOST ADMIRED: “I like the people humble. Hard working. The same qualities for me. I’m coach for IFL, I check the guys on the team for that.”

FAMILY: Wife, Luciana; daughters, Juliana, Luanna, Ana.