Dana White Confirms Rua’s Final Fight in the UFC

Brazilian former champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua will have another opportunity to end his UFC career on a positive note after being granted the final fight of his contract.

Speaking to the media at the UFC 274 post-fight press conference, President Dana White said that Rua deserves to compete one last time, saying that the Brazilian was by no means convincingly beaten.

“Shogun is a legend, not just here but in the sport. Pride, here, and it’s not like Shogun went out there tonight and looked like, ‘Oh my God, this guy can’t even compete in the sport anymore.’ He’s got one more fight left on his contract. So I’ll give it to him, and let him make that money, and go out the way he wants to,” White said.

Rua is coming off a close split decision loss to Ovince Saint Preux on this past weekend’s UFC 274 main card. It was his second consecutive loss to Saint Preux, who knocked him out when the pair first met at UFC Fight Night 56 in 2014.