MMAVu

Looks like Quinton Jackson’s mission to fight Rashad Evans rather than for the title has set off a bit of a domino effect. It was announced that new 205lb Champion Lyoto Machida’s first title defence would be Mauricio “Shogun” Rua.

Rua had fallen on hard times of late. After being the Chuck Liddell equivalent in Pride, smashing everybody, he made his much hyped entrance into the UFC, only to get submitted by Forrest Griffin. Eighteen months and two knee surguries later, Rua can barely muster up enough steam to knock out an even more tired 44yr old Mark Coleman. His next fight out was more impressive, as he TKO’d Chuck Liddell (another senior citizen my MMA standards) at UFC 97 in Montreal.

In an ideal situation, Rua would have had to defeat another two top contenders (maybe Rich Franklin or Luis Cane?) to get a shot at the title, but Jackson’s curious choice to fight Evans changed all that. The two will headline UFC 104, in the Staples Center in Los Angeles on October 24.

If Rua continues to improve and captures some of his old Pride form of 2006, this should be a very good fight. If not, it will look bad for the UFC.