Former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Mauricio Rua is coming off of a first round TKO loss to Anthony Smith in the main event of UFC Fight Night Hamburg.
The fighter still has three fights left on his UFC deal, but once that deal ends, so could Rua’s career.
“I’m really upset, and I plan on ending this contract with the UFC, I have three more fights, and when it’s over, I’ll take a break and talk to my family and my team and see what I’ll do,” Rua said to MMA Fighting. “I want to fight as soon as possible. I was talking to Eduardo (Alonso) yesterday about that. I have a goal. I want to fight again this year, maybe December, and then we’ll see what happens.”
Rua has a record of 9-8-0 under the UFC banner and he defeated Lyoto Machida at UFC 113 to win the UFC Light Heavyweight Title.
While Rua may not want to retire just yet, it hasn’t stopped the Brazilian’s family from requesting that the legend end his professional MMA career.
“Yes. All the time,” Rua said. “They ask for that, but they understand me. Fighting is my work, my career and my passion, so there’s a lot involved. I will stop when I see it really is the right time to stop.”
There is no word yet on when Rua may step back into the Octagon next, but he does sit at #11 in the UFC Light Heavyweight Division Rankings.
