'Shogun' Not Focused On Title Yet, Wants To Fight In Curitiba In May

Mauricio Rua wouldn’t mind getting another crack at the Ultimate Fighting Championship light heavyweight belt before he calls it a career, but for now he has a more personal goal in mind.

“Shogun” has been in his fair share of wars throughout his career and Saturday night’s fight against Tyson Pedro at UFC Fight Night 142 in Adelaide, Australia was no different. The 37-year-old Brazilian was rocked early on by his young Aussie opponent surviving a first round battering when he looked close to being finished. As he has done time and again, though, the former champion used his experience and legendary toughness to stay into the fight before knocking Pedro down and finishing him in the third round via TKO.

At the post-fight press conference, a visibly battered Rua claimed to have no recollection of the knockdown he suffered in the first round (h/t Submission Radio).

“Actually, I don’t remember it,” Rua said. “When I went to the corner after the first round, I didn’t know if I had lost or won it. I really wasn’t aware that I took a flash [knockdown] there. I found out now, when I left the Octagon, that he won the first round. In the second, I was able to win and wear him out a little. I was very happy that I was able to do the strategy.”

When asked about title aspirations, Rua maintained that he is taking a realistic view of his place at light heavyweight. For now, his sights are set on a potential UFC card in his hometown of Curitiba next year -- while the promotion has not confirmed a date or city yet, the Parana state capital and longtime combat sports hotbed is strongly rumored to be the destination.

“I won four out of five, but I know I don’t deserve the belt yet,” Rua said. “There are people ahead of me in the title line. My focus now is fighting in Curitiba, in May. That’s my focus. I don’t think about the belt because I know it’s not my shot yet.”

The Brazilian said the candle still burns bright in terms of fighting and assures his fans he’s still got a lot of fight left in him.

“I don’t want to stop and then think that I shouldn’t have stopped,” Rua said. “I want to stop when I see that I am really done with fighting. I don’t want to regret having stopped before that.”