Mauricio Rua vs. Forrest Griffin 2 set for “UFC: Rio”

A rematch for the ages has been added to the upcoming UFC event, which will take place in Rio de Janiero, Brazil on August 27, as the Ultimate Fighting Championship makes it’s return to the mixed martial arts mecca for the first time since 1998.

A previously mentioned between UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva and Yushin Okami has already been speculated to be the main-event of the evening, which is also a rematch of a fight that originally took place in 2006 under the now defunct Rumble on the Rock banner in Hawaii.

However, perhaps a more intriguing rematch has been pitted between former champions Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and Forrest Griffin, which could see co-main event status as it is a pivotal fight in the 205-pound division.

TATAME.com originally reported the anticipated rematch between the two light-heavyweight standouts, whom originally met in September of 2007 at UFC 76. The event first introduced “Shogun” to the masses on a card that was headlined by the newly removed 205-pound champion in Chuck Liddell, so all eyes were on the Brazilian to make an impressive debut following his stint in the PRIDE organization.

His would be impressive debut was halted by Forrest, who eventually submitted the Brazilian after a back-and-forth battle in the waning moments of the fight, with just seconds to spare. The win catapulted Griffin into the title picture where he eventually dethroned then titleholder Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.

After the loss to Griffin, Rua would go on to compile a two-fight win streak over former champions Mark Coleman and Chuck Liddell which vaunted him into the title picture. After a controversial loss to Lyoto Machida for the belt, Mauricio exacted revenge with a first-round knockout over his fellow countryman in their next meeting.

Now the two are on very different paths in their careers, with Forrest climbing back up the ranks of the division after losing his title in 2009 to Rashad Evans, he is now on a two-fight win streak, while Rua is attempting to regain his belt after he was dethroned last March by phenom Jon Jones.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the match-up? Who do you favor? I think an obvious question here is “which Rua will show up”? We’ve seen him in the past be every bit the world beater he is billed to be, however some of his last outings have not been up to par with the legend that we are all familiar with. Sound off in the comment section below.