Maurício Rua

Rua in 2006

Birth Name: Maurício Milani Rua

Place of Birth: Curitiba, Brazil

Date of Birth: 25 November, 1981

Ethnicity: Brazilian [Portuguese, Italian, possibly other]

Maurício Rua is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist, and model. He competed in the Light Heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), and was a UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. He burst into the MMA world by winning the 2005 PRIDE Middleweight Grand Prix at the age of 23. He is a devastating Muay Thai fighter, who has an innate ability on the ground, showcasing his grappling skills against the best Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu fighters in the world. He is nicknamed “Shogun,” a general in Japanese.

Maurício was born in Curitiba, a southern Brazilian city, the son of Clementina Milani, a track athlete and marathon runner, and Antonio Rua, a businessperson. His brother is professional mixed martial artist Murilo Rua. His manager has stated that he is of Italian and Portuguese ethnicity. About 20% of Curitiba’s population is said to be multiracial (of European, African, and Indigenous descent).

Maurício is married to physiotherapist Renata Ribeiro, with whom he has a daughter.