Former UFC light heavyweight champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua will no longer compete this coming Saturday against Ovince Saint Preux at UFC Fight Night 117.
But the decision was a difficult one for Rua.
A legend in the sport because of his incredible wars over his 35-fight career, Rua (25-10) told fans on social media that he “didn’t want to let the fans down” by pulling out of the main event. He was replaced over the weekend by a returning Yushin Okami.
“I went beyond my limit because fighting in Japan again is something I’d been dreaming of for a long time,” Rua wrote on Instagram. “Because I didn’t want to let the fans down, and because that’s how I was raised in martial arts by my master. I’ve stepped up to fight injured multiple times in my career, and it wasn’t for a lack of effort or trying.
“Unfortunately, all this effort ended up making the injuries worse, and there came a time when my team and I had to accept there were no alternatives. And I had to pull out of the fight.”
Rua was looking to score revenge on OSP from a 2014 knockout loss. He has won three in a row since the defeat.
