'Shogun' on Henderson rematch: 'I'll take the win any way I can get it'

(This story first appeared in Friday’s USA TODAY.)

NATAL, Brazil – Billed as a slugfest between two heavy-handed MMA stars, the first meeting of Dan Henderson and Mauricio Rua wasn’t expected to last long.

When a wobbly Rua struggled to keep his balance 60 seconds into the November 2011 matchup, blood streaming from the Brazilian’s left eye and trickling down his face, that prediction appeared sound. Yet somehow the two knockout artists continued to battle toe-to-toe for five rounds, putting on one of the most memorable matchups in UFC history.

“I remember being in the corner and thinking to myself somewhere in the fourth round, ‘Man, we’re watching history,’” Eduardo Alonso, Rua’s manager, tells USA TODAY Sports and MMAjunkie. “I was just getting that feeling, hearing the buzz from the crowd. At the same time, it’s such a roller coaster of emotions.”

Rua was nearly finished again in the third round, when a Henderson flurry put him on the floor. The two-time U.S. Olympic wrestler pounced with strikes in hopes of ending the fight there, but Rua refused to be put away and even battled back to seize momentum over the final two rounds. He nearly scored a TKO on a few occasions.

However, after Rua lost the first three rounds, his comeback bid came up short and Henderson won by unanimous decision with scores of 48-47 across the board. The bout was named by many as “Fight of the Year.”

Rua insists he doesn’t spend time dwelling on the performance.

“I get very happy to know that my fight with him is going down in the history books, written as one of the best ever,” Rua says through a translator. “It’s a rewarding feeling. but I don’t really think of it any other way. It’s just satisfying to know that we did something that people acknowledge and that was great, But we have to move on.”

The two meet again Sunday in the headlining bout of UFC Fight Night 38 at Ginasio Nelio Dias (5 p.m. ET, FOX Sports 1).

Despite the intense nature of their first meeting, Rua had no hesitation setting up the rematch and believes it will be different.

“It’s a different fight,” Rua says. “Obviously, I have big respect for Dan Henderson. He’s a guy that hits hard and can do some damage. You’ve got to respect him. But I’m happy to have this chance because … I like challenges.”

With 32 knockout wins between them, there’s a chance Henderson and Rua fans could be in for another emotional ride. But Alonso says his team thought the rematch was a must

“It was such a war, and we respect Dan so much, that I would hate for Dan or Mauricio to eventually retire without doing it again,” Alonso says. “We know we could do better than we did the first fight.”

Another classic might be a bit too much to ask, but with their aggressive styles, it seems certain the bout will entertain. Rua says he’s not feeling any pressure to deliver another instant classic, but, as Alonso points out, “with their styles, it’s a little tough to be boring.”

“Any way that I can come out with a win, I’m happy,” Rua says. “Obviously, if I can win a fight that also pleases the fans, I’m even happier. But I’ll take the win any way I can get it.”

For the latest on UFC Fight Night 38, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.