Shogun Rua confirms UFC 283 will be his “farewell” fight: “I know it’s time to stop”

Shogun Rua will be fighting for the final time at UFC 283.

Rua is set to fight back at home in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on January 23 as he takes on Ihor Potieria in the pay-per-view opener. When he makes the walk to the Octagon it will be his 42nd professional fight and 24th fight in the UFC, but it will also be his last.

“The feeling is that I am happy with this fight, it will be my farewell and I am happy that it will be in my country, at home. I’m happy, I’m grateful to the UFC for being one of the oldest in the UFC,” Rua said to Combate. “I’ve been there for 15 years, there’s nobody with as much longevity as me in the UFC. I’m grateful for everything. The feeling is of being happy. (It’s the farewell) Shogun in MMA. I’ve been fighting for 20 years, I started very early, I’ve been fighting for many years in high performance. Since 2005 against the best, so I’m an accomplished guy and I’m grateful to God for everything I’ve achieved in my career. Being an accomplished guy, that makes me stop at the right time.”

Although UFC 283 will be Rua’s retirement fight, he says that doesn’t mean he will force anything as he looks for a finish. Instead, he knows he’s fighting a dangerous opponent so is just worried about fighting to his best ability and hopefully getting his hand raised.

“My obligation is to do my best in the fight. Today I don’t charge myself with winning and knocking out, my obligation is to do my best and that’s it,” Rua said. “I don’t demand more victories, rookies, belts, what I demand is to go up and do my best. And doing what I love, which is fighting. The UFC is like the MMA World Cup. There’s no one stupid, so I certainly accepted the fight, I know he’s a younger guy, but a fight is a fight and my goal is to get up there well-prepared and do my best. That’s my focus.”

When the bell rings, Shogun Rua says it is his final fight regardless of the outcome. The former UFC champ says he knows his time to retire is now and is happy with how his career played out.

“The best thing (about retiring) is that I’m a fulfilled guy,” Rua concluded. “Time to retire, I know I stopped, but I am fulfilled and grateful to God for everything he has given me. The worst thing is to stop doing what you love. But I know it’s time to stop, I’m a calm guy, accomplished and I’m not attached to fame, nothing. I know that fame is a fleeting thing. Anyone who knows me knows that I’m good with all of this.”

Do you agree with Shogun Rua’s decision to retire after UFC 283?