After breaking his arm during his first fight with Mark Coleman, Brazilian Mauricio “Shogun” Rua will finally have a chance for payback. On January 17, “Shogun” will meet Coleman at UFC 93 in Dublin, Ireland. After a rough start in the UFC with a loss to Forrest Griffin, you can’t count him out and ignore the list of victories captured by “Shogun” including Quinton Jackson, Alistair Overeem and Ricardo Arona.

MMA Sports: In February of 2006 you got your arm broken during a fight with Coleman. What are you expecting from this rematch?
Shogun: I know Coleman has been training hard and he is in his best shape. It will be a great fight. For me, our last fight didn’t end. If I were him I would never celebrate this win. After that, he started to say a lot of bullshit about me and my team. And this motivated me to fight him. I do consider him a tough opponent and be sure I will give my best to beat him.

MMA Sports: And how do you intend to win? How is your training to fight him?
Shogun: My training is awesome. I have been doing a great job and I feel 100% ready. I will give my best during the fight and I am fighting for my fans around the world. I think my fight with Coleman will be a great bout.

MMA Sports: What’s the difference between the first fight between you two and now?
Shogun: You remember what happened during our first meeting. This rematch I wanted a while ago. I do respect him as a fighter and I know it will be a hard fight. He is a top fighter and I am ready for him. I am sure it will be a different fight at this time.

MMA Sports: - I can feel in your words some anger against Coleman. What do you think of him?
Shogun: He does not have honor. He was not a man with me. When I got my arm broken, we talked after the fight and he was a nice guy in my face, but when I turn my back, he said a lot of false and bad stuff about me. That’s the reason this fight became a personal issue for me.

MMA Sports: Talking about your training, how important was BJJ black belt Nino Schembri into your final preparation?
Shogun: He is a great fighter and an excellent person. He has been training hard to fight an MMA event in Brazil and it has been a great exchange. He adds a lot during the daily training.

MMA Sports: Recently you hosted UFC crew in your place to record a promotion video in Curitiba. Tell me more about it…
Shogun: They taped some training at the gym and then they wanted to know me as a person. Things I like to do in my free time. They went to my place, my mom’s house. I got all the people together for a barbecue. It was my birthday. We had a great time… me, my family and friends. I think they enjoyed it as well.

MMA Sports: How do you see your division at the UFC these days?
Shogun: In my opinion it’s the most difficult division in the competition. There are great athletes who have high qualities to fight for the belt. Now it depends on each one to do there best and take advantage of every chance.

MMA Sports: You’ve been defeated by Forrest Griffin, if you have another chance to fight Forrest Griffin, what would you do differently?
Shogun: I am sure the fight would be a lot different. I would be more focused and ready for the fight. I know that answer looks like an excuse. He deserved to win by that time. I do accept his win, but I deeply got defeated to myself.

MMA Sports: What do you consider it was your main mistake during that fight against Griffin? Once you were defeated in the last minute of the fight?
Shogun: Analyzing now the fight I see I didn’t train enough. Now I am working on my weight and I think this bothered me during that fight. As I said before, Griffin was the winner, but I know I was guilty of my loss.

MMA Sports: Thierry Sokoudjou said he would like to fight you... would you like to fight him? Is there is any fighter you would like to fight?
Shogun: I think Sokoudjou needs to shut up. Both Machida and Cane gave him a hard time and he is in no position to choose. And answering your question I don’t choose opponents. I am a professional and I will fight whoever the UFC wants me to fight.

MMA Sports: UFC is going to Ireland… what do you think about fighting in there?
Shogun: I think it’s great. I feel lucky to have the chance to be part of that and see the MMA getting fast development. I think the UFC has been changing the point of view of average people about the sport and this is very important. I’ve heard UFC has plans to go to other countries as well and who knows in Brazil? It would kick ass because Brazilians would support it for sure.