4. Wrestlers may be his kryptonite
The aforementioned elite light heavyweight wrestlers are also becoming a thorn in Rua’s side.
After watching what Davis did to the massive Teixeira at October 25’s UFC 179, it doesn’t look like Rua would stand any more of a chance against “Mr. Wonderful.”
Evans outclassed Davis everywhere their fight went, and even though he’s still recovering from a serious knee injury of his own, he would still probably give Rua trouble with his mat background.
We already know what Jones did to Shogun, but we don’t really have to look to the division’s truly elite wrestlers to find out where Rua’s wrestling deficiencies lie. No, we only have to look back to UFC Fight Night 26 in August 2013, where Rua was thoroughly dominated by Chael Sonnen, a fighter who spent most of his career fighting at middleweight.
That fight was sandwiched between two lopsided losses to Jones and Evans for the now-retired “American Gangster,” projecting a very dark forecast for Rua if he ever works his way back to a top-ranked opponent.
But he’s got to get there first, and to be honest; it would be a bit of a surprise to see him get by the much larger and more athletic St. Preux. True, Rua has a huge edge in technical striking and experience, but his explosiveness is simply disappearing rapidly.
For a knockout artist like him, that essentially ends his run at a top light heavyweight contender.
