UFC 139: Shogun Rua Looks to Prepare "Perfect Camp" for Dan Henderson

As Mauricio "Shogun" Rua prepares to challenge for the light heavyweight title again, he must face a formidable opponent in Dan Henderson at UFC 139. 

Rua, who is coming off a knockout victory over Forrest Griffin at UFC 134, sees Henderson as a great opponent who matches up well against his style. While he admits the bout should have happened years ago, Rua told TATAME.com that he is just content to be fighting again. 

"I love fighting, and I’ll fight sooner if I can. I’m not like that, I don’t like to stay a long time without fighting, and it’d be good to gain some rhythm. I’ll go after what’s best for me," Rua said.

Rua's recurring knee problems have hindered his success in the past, as he recently lost the light heavyweight title to Jon Jones after being out of action for a year. It is often believed that when the Brazilian is healthy and fights more consistently, he is considered to be one of the most dangerous fighters in the world. 

He'll get his chance to prove that against Henderson, who is coming into his third stint with the organization after earning knockout victories over Renato "Babalu" Sobral, Rafael Cavalcante and Fedor Emelianenko. Henderson is in the best shape of his career and arguably in his best form since PRIDE. 

Although Henderson might be 41 years old, Rua still recognizes the danger in facing the current Strikeforce light heavyweight champion.

"He has heavy hands indeed, he can punch you in such a way that leads you to a knockout," he said. "He’s been fighting for a long time, but he’s always looking for the knockout or working on the ground and pound. It’s been this way since Pride."

And for PRIDE fans, the idea of seeing both competitors square off on November 19th should be a dream come true.