Shogun Rua says Lyoto Machida getting next title shot is fair after UFC on Fox 4

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

Mauricio "Shogun" Rua picked up a knockout win on Saturday night at UFC on Fox 4, stopping Brandon Vera in the fourth round of a rather grueling fight. However, he was skipped over for the next title shot in the light heavyweight division, as that went to the man he took the belt from in 2010, Lyoto Machida.

Machida's performance over Ryan Bader was much more dominant than Rua, and he stopped the fight much sooner, and because of those factors, Rua wasn't upset at the UFC's decision. Considering all four men were told ahead of time they had an opportunity to earn that shot, Shogun said he felt it was a fair situation.

"I guess Lyoto is a top five guy and Ryan Bader a top ten," Shogun said at the post-fight press conference (via Tatame.com). "I think it was fair the four of us fought for a chance at the belt. I guess it was fair."

"I'm cool. My obligation is to do my best and fight. Lyoto got his shot. I'll keep training hard. That's my job."

Penick's Analysis: Shogun's in a tough spot right now at light heavyweight. He had an epic fight with Dan Henderson last November, but he didn't look good in the early portions of the fight. He was flat footed and seemed off against Forrest Griffin last summer, but was lucky to find that Griffin was in even worse shape for the fight and he picked up a stoppage win there. Then on Saturday he looked sluggish and plodding at times against Vera. Whether he can continue to defeat elite competition in the division is very much in question, and so he may have a rough run trying to work back to a title fight after failing to earn the shortcut from the UFC.

[Mauricio "Shogun" Rua art by Grant Gould (c) MMATorch.com]

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