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

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Translation by Eduardo Alonso

STATUS: PRIDE middleweight contender. Considered to be one of the best mixed martial arts fighters in the world today.

HT: 6’0” (1.82 m) WT: 205 lbs.

NICKNAME: Shogun

CHILDHOOD HEROES: Bebeto (from the Brazilian National Soccer Team), Mike Tyson

HOBBIES/INTERESTS: “Going to movies, playing soccer, walking my dog Chakal, going the beach and trying to surf, Internet surfing.”

FAVORITE MOVIES: “The Last Samurai”; “Deadly Games” [called “Saw” in the U.S.], all the Jean-Claude Van Damme movies growing up.”

FAVORITE TV SHOWS: “Anything on “Premiere Combate” (Brazilian fighting channel).”

MUSICAL TASTES: “Soft music before fights like Phil Collins, Elton John, and Lionel Richie. Hip-hop – 50 Cent, Snoop Dog.”

FIRST JOB: “At age 18, I was a magazine and runway model for clothing companies.”

FIRST CAR: (laughs) “A 1996 red 4-door Parati (Volkswagen) I got in 2002.”

EARLY FIGHTING MEMORY: “Every time I think of fighting, the first thing that comes to mind is my debut, which was Meca 7 against a guy named Rafael Caporeira [Freitas] from Gracie Barra. I remember I was very, very nervous coming into the fight, but during the fight I managed to calm down and do my thing.”

PRE-FIGHT FEELING: “I think a bit of nervousness is normal, so it always comes into play. It’s impossible not to feel like this, but I try to relax and trust in my training. I just think about the win, win, win – never about losing.”

FAVORITE MEAL: “I like to eat everything but some of my favorites are Churrascaria (Brazilian BBQ) and white rice.”

FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR: “I love them all but Strawberry or Grape I guess.”

CHILDHOOD DREAMS: “I wanted to be a soccer player.”

GREATEST CAREER MOMENT: “Winning the Grand Prix [Middleweight in 2005]. The whole experience was a fancy ride. It was good for me. It sent me to new places and introduced me to new fighters. The finals, of course, stick in my memory because of their importance and finally getting them done and getting the belt.”

MOST PAINFUL CAREER MOMENT: “My loss to Babalu [Renato Sobral] years ago in the IFC [September 6, 2003 in Denver, CO].”

WORST INJURY: ”I’ve never had any serious injury so far.”

FUNNIEST FIGHTING MEMORY: “Every trip is funny, but I’ll try to remember something special. (Pause and laughs.) Once we were doing a seminar and we were walking in the streets after the seminar and Eduardo’s [Alonso, Rua’s friend] luggage was damaged, so in the middle of the street, ‘Boom!’ his bag exploded. All the clothing, his underwear, everything went everywhere, and instead of helping out, Ninja started saying, ‘Go, you’re so lazy. We’re in a hurry,’ giving him a hard time. Eduardo had to rush and pick everything up.”

FAVORITE FIGHTERS TO WATCH: “My brother Murilo Ninja [Rua], Wanderlei Silva, Fedor Emelianenko.”

FAVORITE FIGHTS: “My brother versus Mario Sperry, [Antonio Rodrigo] Minotauro versus Bob Sapp. Fedor versus Cro Cop, Wanderlei Silva versus Quinton Jackson.”

FAVORITE ATHLETES FROM OTHER SPORTS: Mike Tyson; Ayrton Senna [da Silva], the 3-Time Brazilian Formula 1 champ; Pele (soccer); Ronaldinho, the soccer player for the Barcelona team.”

FAVORITE VACATION/HOLIDAY SPOT: “Rosa Beach in south Brazil. I want to go Paradise Island in the northeast, the nature preserve where only a few are allowed to enter at a time.”

PEOPLE QUALITIES MOST ADMIRED: “Good character, politeness, respectfulness, sincerity.”