• UFC 134

Shogun 100 per cent fit for Forrest rematch

Mauricio Shogun Rua admits Jon Jones was the better fighter in their UFC light-heavyweight title fight © Getty Images

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• Profile: Shogun Rua

Mauricio Shogun Rua has assured his fans he is 100 per cent fit heading into his light-heavyweight rematch with Forrest Griffin at UFC 134.

Shogun, the former UFC champion, is aiming to bounce back from his last outing when he lost the belt to Jon Jones. His opponent in Rio is fellow former champ Griffin, to whom Rua lost on UFC debut.

Both defeats sparked question marks over the Brazilian's fitness, with Shogun heading for knee surgery following the loss to Griffin. In the Jones fight, a lack of leg kicks created observers to suggest that he had once again suffered an injury to the same area.

Shogun insists fitness was not an issue against Jones though, and he promised there will be no excuses come August 27.

"Really, in the Jones fight, what happened was I got hurt early on and I was having some trouble finding the right distance in the fight," he wrote in his blog for ESPN.

"I was also getting tired, and throwing leg kicks spends a lot of energy which is why I didn't throw so many of them, and there was also the risk of being taken down; it was a combination of factors which stopped me from performing at my best.

"Some people think I was out of shape and are worried about my knees still being hurt after I had so much trouble with them. That isn't the case - there's nothing wrong with my knees, and they were 100 per cent ready for that fight, as it was all cleared by the doctor.

"We made the biggest effort in doing my rehab as perfectly as possible and the UFC was kind enough to let me come back on a date that was proper to do it, according to the doctors. I have no injury excuses.

"As a professional fighter, you always have some injuries, even if they are minor. It's impossible, or very rare, to go through a camp without any pain.

"Right now I'm 100 percent, without any injuries and ready to go, but we always have to work around pain and work around injuries, and as a fighter you are always trying to make the best of it."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.