Mauricio Rua, a.k.a ‘Shogun’ said he is ready for an immediate rematch with Paul Craig after their fight at UFC Fight Night 164 on Saturday ended in a split draw verdict.
The Brazilian talked about his frustration from the end result, stating that both fighters deserve a rematch.
“I clearly knew that I had lost the first round,” Rua told reporters backstage.
“I won the second and third. My corner oriented me and said the same thing, and I was conscious of that. Everyone that I’ve talked to after the fight said the same thing including people from the UFC: judges, matchmakers. So I didn’t really understand the criteria that the judges used to give the victory. It’s something that’s not in our control, and it happens.”
“It’s pretty frustrating because I can’t understand the judges’ criteria. I think that I clearly won. He won the first round, but I won the second and third.”
Mauricio Rua vs. Paul Craig 2
“He’s already been talking about a rematch,” Shogun said. “I don’t know where. I’ll accept it. I think that we deserve a rematch for this fight. I don’t think this was resolved. I would accept it if Paul would accept it. If the UFC wants it I’ll accept it. I think we deserve a rematch for this fight.”
The fight itself was quite unconventional with Paul Craig, known as a submission expert, going for an on the feet approach, hurting Shogun in the first round.
Rua had to adapt and change his style, as well. He tried taking Craig down, instead of throwing punches, while trying to avoid submission attempts.
In the end, neither one of the pair was really satisfied with the outcome, so a second clash seems the most likely result. It seems like both fighters have agreed to that with a potential re-match suggested by Craig to be in his homeland – Scotland.
