Shogun Rua to be inducted into 2024 UFC Hall of Fame class

Legendary UFC and PRIDE fighter, Mauricio Rua, known as “Shogun,” has been announced as the latest inductee into the UFC Hall of Fame. The 42-year-old fighter received a thunderous applause from the audience at UFC 301 in Rio de Janeiro following the announcement.

Rua, who had a 42-fight career, made a name for himself early on in Japan’s PRIDE promotion with his aggressive fighting style and intense finishes. He famously won a grand prix tournament in 2005, defeating top fighters like Quinton Jackson and Alistair Overeem.

After joining the UFC in 2007, Rua faced a rocky start with a loss to Forrest Griffin in his debut. However, he went on to capture the light heavyweight championship with a first-round knockout of Lyoto Machida at UFC 113. Throughout his career, Rua had many memorable moments, including a legendary fight with Dan Henderson and multiple Fight Night bonuses.

Following a loss in January 2023, Rua announced his retirement with a record of 27-14-1. He will be inducted into the pioneer wing of the UFC Hall of Fame alongside other greats like Anderson Silva and Chuck Liddell.

The induction ceremony will take place on June 27 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas as part of the 12th UFC Annual International Fight Week event. Other inductees this year include Wanderlei Silva, Joanna Jedrzejczyk, Frankie Edgar, and the UFC 117 middleweight title fight between Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen.