This is the UFC Fight Night 106 live blog for Shogun Rua vs. Gian Villante, a light heavyweight bout at Saturday night's UFC event at the Centro de Formação Olímpica do Nordeste in Fortaleza, Brazil.
Rua, who has won three of his past five fights, will face Villante, who also won three of his past five fights, on the main card.
Check out the UFC Fight Night 106 live blog below.
Round 1: Co-main event time — see if Shogun can make it three in a row. The referee for this one is Mario Yamasaki, who throws out his hand-heart tribute. Rua took an extra second to secure his shorts. They touch gloves, and Villante throws a right hand. Now Rua returns one, and with that the crowd lets out a roar. Rua catches a kick and spins Villante down to the ground for a moment, but he resets. Big shot from Rua! That wobbled Villante, who looks recovered though. Shogun very poised. He's being patient here. Right hands from Rua, more size-ups than big shots. Now a left hook from Villante, and Rua is hurt. Villante moves forward and is landing, and Rua is hurt. Now they clinch, and break. Rua was truly hurt. Now he's landing big shots of his own, a right hand. Still, Rua looks a little rattled. He throws another right hand and it lands. Right hand from Shogun, and another. Action packed first round. Overhand and an uppercut from Villante. Big right hand misses from Shogun, and Villante in turn misses wit ha a left. And now the right hand does land from Shogun, and that drops Villante! He gets back up, and Rua — poised — trying to hack him down. Looks like Villante is recovered. This is crazy. Each man has been hurt in the first three-and-a-half minutes. Some lefts from Villante, but he can't get anything through. Leg kick from Rua. Big shots from Rua late, and again the right hand finding a home. Big combo at end. MMA Fighting scores R1 for Rua, 10-9
Round 2: Rua to the center, and he lands an inside leg kick. Then a right hand, which again rocks Villante back on his heels. Those are doing major damage. Villante's head movement is nearly nil. Shogun just has a stationary target to clobber. Big shots in the center in an exchange, but man — everything narrowly misses. Shogun just stalking forward, looking for that right. Villante with a series of lefts, the last two with little on it. Rua catches a kick and counters with a big overhand right. If that lands flush, this things over. It didn't. Another right hand. Rua landing them at will, some bigger than others. Villante still not moving his head. Huge left counter from Villante lands, right as a right hand got him. Shogun ate it, and now Villante takes Rua down for a brief second, but Shogun right back up. Right hand from Rua. And then, off balance, Villante goes down, and Rua tried to use that moment to put something big on him. Couldn't. Villante back up...and Rua immediately back to the right hand, ready to spring. Right hand from Rua again. Both guys slowing considerably, but Rua still lands a nice right hand over the top of his defense. MMA Fighting scores R2 for Rua, 10-9 (20-18 overall)
Round 3: Rua has some bruises and swelling, but it's his fight so far. They touch gloves. A left jab from Rua, and a leg kick from Villante. Right back to it. The right hand from Rua fires, and this time Villante ducks it and throws a big left counter. The punches still have snap to them from both sides. Huge counter from Rua, and that hurts Villante! He's coming to life, and he lands a kick — he's throwing big shots, and there's the stoppage! He just caught him with a right hand and then took it too the New Yorker. Crowd explodes. It was a right hand, and then a series of body punches, and then hellfire on the fence. Just blasting him with rights and lefts.
UFC Fight Night Fortaleza official results: Mauricio "Shogun" Rua def. Gian Villante via TKO (strikes) at :59 of R3