» Fighter: Murilo Rua

Brazilian middleweight “Ninja” Murilo Rua (18-10-1), brother of Fighters.com’s third-ranked light heavyweight contender “Shogun” Mauricio Rua (18-4), will fight at DREAM.14 in Seoul April 24, according to Tatame.

Read More About DREAM 14: “Ninja” Rua Reported, No Opponent Named…

“Ninja” Murilo Rua (18-10-1), brother of Fighters.com’s third-ranked light heavyweight contender “Shogun” Mauricio Rua (18-4), and Falaniko Vitale (25-8) will matchup at Shine Fights third iteration tentatively scheduled for spring 2010.

Rua is fresh off a TKO of Golden Glory’s Jason Jones (3-9-1) at Bitetti Combat 5 in São Paulo December 12.

Vitale has been on hiatus since losing a three-round decision to “Twinkle Toes” Frank Trigg (19-7) at Strikeforce in Denver in October 2008.

Fighters.com’s eighth-ranked middleweight “Ely” Paulo Filho (17-1) and “Ninja” Murilo Rua (18-10-1) earned victories at Bitetti Combat 5 in São Paulo Saturday.

Read More About Bitetti Results: Paulo Filho, Murilo Rua Win in São Paulo…

Former UFC heavyweight title challenger “Snowman” Jeff Monson (28-2) and The Pit’s Glover Teixeira (8-2) will matchup at Bitetti Combat 5 in São Paulo December 12, according to Tatame.

Read More About Bitetti Combat 5: Jeff Monson Versus Glover Teixeira, Pedro Rizzo Versus Valentijn Overeem…

Former PRIDE 205-pound contender “Brazilian Tiger” Ricardo Arona (14-5) and former WEC middleweight champion “Ely” Paulo Filho (16-1) both rang up three-round unanimous decisions at Bitetti Combat in Rio de Janeiro Saturday night.

Arona beat “Beastman” Marvin Eastman (16-10-1), who nearly missed the fight due to Brazilian visa miscommunications. The win was Arona’s first MMA fight since getting KO’d in round one versus “African Assassin” Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (6-4) at PRIDE 34 in Tokyo in April 2007. Arona had turned to professional surfing during his hiatus from fighting, but is now devoted to MMA.

Filho, himself on course for a sort of comeback after a disappointing conclusion to his WEC stint last year, beat Alex Schoenauer (13-10) controversially. Filho’s hometown crowd booed the judges’ decision.

Read More About Brazilian PRIDE Stars Ricardo Arona, Paulo Filho Win UDs at Bitetti Combat…

Okay…now “Minotoro” Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (15-3) has officially jumped ship from the Bitetti Combat card in Rio de Janeiro 12 September and has been replaced by “Ninja” Murilo Rua (16-10-1), brother of Fighters.com’s sixth-ranked light heavyweight and UFC title challenger “Shogun” Mauricio Rua (18-3).

Rua will fight Nogueira’s intended opponent, “Brazilian Killa” Alex Stiebling (19-10-1), in what becomes a more evenly matched fight. Rua lost a two-round UD to Riki Fukuda (12-4) at DREAM 8 in Nagoya 5 April.

Stiebling lost by second round TKO to “Chteki” Moise Rimbon (12-8-2) at Bodog Fight 3 in Costa Rica in February 2007.

Read More About Fighters.com Exclusive: “Ninja” Murilo Rua To Replace “Minotoro” Nogueira at Bitetti Combat…

American Top Team middleweight Benji Radach (19-4) knocked out “Ninja” Murilo Rua (16-9-1) at 2:31 of the second round Saturday night in Sunrise, north of Miami.

Radach is expected to earn an EliteXC title shot versus fourth-ranked “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (16-4).

“Man, I hit him so hard a lot of times,” Radach said after the referee pushed him off of Rua after landing four unanswered punches to Rua’s head as he lie on the mat.

“Ninja” had stumbled after launching a flying knee and Radach fed him a straight right, then three right hooks.

The finish resembled the entire fight: Radach landing sledgehammers to Rua’s head.

Rua was most successful on the mat in the first round when he worked a Kimura, then nearly locked in a heel hook until Radach rolled free.

EliteXC has confirmed several bouts for the 4 October event to air on CBS’s Saturday Night Fights, happening at the BankAtlantic Center near Fort Lauderdale, FL.

UFC Hall of Famer and “World’s Most Dangerous Man” Ken Shamrock (26-13-2) was named as “Kimbo Slice” Kevin Ferguson’s (3-0) opponent for the night’s main event.

Fighters.com’s third-ranked welterweight Jake Shields (21-4-1) will defend his EliteXC title for the first time against Brit “Semtex” Paul Daley (18-6-2).

Benji Radach (18-4) will make his EliteXC debut against “Ninja” Murilo Rua (16-8-1) in a middleweight match-up.

Read More About Shields to Defend Semtex’s Explosion at EliteXC, Slice Draws Shamrock…

EliteXC middleweight Joey Villasenor (26-6) will fight in their 20 September event, possibly against “Ninja” Murilo Rua (16-8-1), he told MMA Junkie Saturday.

“It sounds like it’s going to be in my hometown of Albuquerque, New Mexico,” Villasenor said. “We’re just waiting on confirmation of who it’s going to be [against].”

“They keep on bringing up Ninja’s name. They’re bringing up other names, but Ninja is the one that is sticking out right now.”

Villasenor has won his last three fights, most recently against “New York Bad Ass” Phil Baroni (12-10) in May via first-round TKO.

His last loss was by second-round TKO to Rua in June 2007, when they battled for EliteXC’s first-ever middleweight title.

Rua lost the belt in his next fight in September to current champ “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (16-4) via TKO in round two.

Saturday night in Honolulu, EliteXC 160-Pound Champion “KJ” Karl James Noons(7-2) TKO’d challenger Yves Edwards (34-14-1) in 48 seconds.

“I’m the champion and have the EliteXC belt,” Noons declared after his impressive victory.  “I’ll fight anybody!”

Noons may be destined for a rematch with the fighter EliteXC created the 160-pound division to crown as champion, Nick Diaz (17-7).

Read More About Noons Defends in 48 Seconds, Diaz Stalking Rematch With Third-Round TKO at EliteXC…