Freddie Roach Trains ‘Improperly Taught’ Shogun Rua to Punch | UFC News

Renowned boxing trainer Freddie Roach was brought onboard Mauricio Rua’s training camp for UFC 161 to help Rua with his striking. Rua is known for his muay-thai game but according to Roach, when it comes to technical punches, Rua wasn’t properly taught how to throw them.

Roach spoke to GracieMag on his work with Rua:

“I was studying a lot of tape on him to get an idea of how he fights”; “He didn’t know how to transfer his weight too well, and he wasn’t a very big puncher at first,” Roach stated “Once we got him pivoting and punching off the right foot, keeping his boxing stance, he punched really, really hard when he did it correctly.”

This new power could be a turning point in the 31-year old’s career especially after someone like Roach claims that before his work with Rua:

“I don’t think he was ever taught how to do it correctly.”

This, along with a new cardiovascular program that Roach plans to introduce to Rua, could transform the former light-heavyweight champion into a whole new fighter.

Rua’s first test with his new technique will be a rematch from a famous Pride fight between Rua and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira on a stacked UFC 161 card. Rua won the first bout via unanimous decision in the quarterfinals of the 2005 Pride Middleweight Grand Prix.

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