Though the UFC on FOX broadcasters sold the main-event battle between Mauricio “Shogun” Rua vs. Brandon Vera as an intense, dramatic battle of wills, other analysts and critics were focusing on the fatigue issue.
Both men–and Shogun in particular–appeared to significantly fade in round two, and the pace of the offense never seemed to recover until Shogun delivered the fourth-round blows that finished the fight.
While neither man refrained from attacking with strikes and clinch attempts, both seemed sluggish in their efforts.
Brandon Vera, however, was unhappy that such claims were being levied against Shogun. Cutting in on a media question that was actually directed at Shogun, Vera ranted on the issue at the post-show press conference.
“I was pushing the pace, man,” countered Vera, apparently offended that the fatigue issue was being used to criticize Shogun at the expense of praising his own performance. “You think he’s just tired cause he’s out of shape and he showed up not to fight? Come on, get off that!”
That rant aside, Vera did later admit that “five rounds sucked” from an endurance perspective, especially since Shogun was still pushing the pace in the fourth round.
