UFC 128 – Mauricio “Shogun” Rua vs. Rashad Evans could headline March 19th return to Abu Dhabi,

looks like your optimism may be correct. Hope it happens.

I hope so. Don't think I'll be making that trip but I bet they stack the hell out of that card.

nice, thats sooner than i expected!

I just hope Rua is 100% fit and doesn't come in like he did against Forrest.

Well, if they didnt like Anderson Silva the dancer i doubt they'll enjoy Rashad Evans the leg humper.

I'm really concerned that a non-100% Rua won't be able to keep a Sugar blanket at bay...

Agree, Rashad's gameplan will be to get the takedown, which will result in stales against the cage and hugging. Shogun has to be 100%, even with Rashad's glass chin.

freakzilla316ftw wrote:

I just hope Rua is 100% fit and doesn't come in like he did against Forrest.

im hoping the extra time dana made him wait prevents this from happening. fingers crossed!

It's hard to see Rashad opening up with the striking he used against Forrest, Liddell and Salmon considering the way he fought Thiago and Machida. He is scared to commit against counter fighters. He knows his chin is a liability. If he wins, it will be an incredible upset in my mind, and I still rank him easily within the top 5.

Right now Rashad is clearly number 3.

freakzilla316ftw wrote:

Right now Rashad is clearly number 3.

That is where I have him.

freakzilla316ftw wrote:

I just hope Rua is 100% fit and doesn't come in like he did against Forrest.

+1
or like he did against machida in the second fight. if he comes in like he did in those fight shads gnp could take effect by the 4rth round

LA wrote:

Agree, Rashad's gameplan will be to get the takedown, which will result in stales against the cage and hugging. Shogun has to be 100%, even with Rashad's glass chin.

since when does shad have a glass chin? i've only seen him really rocked and in real danger like twice. against machida after taking so many blows and straight shots and against thiago who is probably the hardest puncher in the division.

throwdownfight1 wrote:

LA wrote:

Agree, Rashad's gameplan will be to get the takedown, which will result in stales against the cage and hugging. Shogun has to be 100%, even with Rashad's glass chin.

since when does shad have a glass chin? i've only seen him really rocked and in real danger like twice. against machida after taking so many blows and straight shots and against thiago who is probably the hardest puncher in the division.

Rashad was always rocked by Rampage. Thiago is not at all the hardest puncher in the the division. Besides Jardine who has he ever knocked out?

Shogun hits way, way harder than Thiago. The guy knocked out Overeem, Machida, and Arona with hammer fists for god's sake.

Evans has been wobbled by everything thats hit him in the last three fights.

Ninja\Rua/Fan wrote:

throwdownfight1 wrote:

LA wrote:

Agree, Rashad's gameplan will be to get the takedown, which will result in stales against the cage and hugging. Shogun has to be 100%, even with Rashad's glass chin.

since when does shad have a glass chin? i've only seen him really rocked and in real danger like twice. against machida after taking so many blows and straight shots and against thiago who is probably the hardest puncher in the division.

Rashad was always rocked by Rampage. Thiago is not at all the hardest puncher in the the division. Besides Jardine who has he ever knocked out?

Shogun hits way, way harder than Thiago. The guy knocked out Overeem, Machida, and Arona with hammer fists for god's sake.

sorry i meant to put probably one of the hardest punchers in the division. i would consider shogun #1 when it comes to power.even if page rocked him that still doesnt mean he has a glass chin. page has had several kos over top comp and shad is not one of them. i just dont classify him as havin a glass chin

Just as a bump, it sounds like Shogun still on track for the March return. Fingers crossed

I think he's heading to Brazil though.

That would be cool. UFC is riddled with top talent from Brazil. Let these guys get a home fight for a change with the Brazil return.

Have I won any pickems?

Wolfgangsta wrote:

Have I won any pickems?

Probably. I think most people have.

Do people really think Rashad's going to have enough troubles taking Shogun down that it's going to end up in a clinch-fest against the cage? I seriously doubt that. The question is whether Shogun can sweep and either standup or submit. I seriously doubt he will be able to submit Rashad. I know people were complaining about it, but Rashad is a black belt. I think this is going to be a fight that the judges could really mess up, with Shogun dominating the grappling, but not getting credited for it properly because Rashad got the takedowns.

Hope fully he frog legs the fuck out of him early.

I don't see Shogun having much of an issue sweeping Rashad and getting off the bottom. I think he either rocks him early and finishes or does so around the 3rd round when Evans starts to fade from the repeated the takedowns/attempts