Rua and Teixeira to Meet in Eight-Round Boxing Bout August 29

Mauricio Shogun Rua and Glover Teixeira, both former UFC light heavyweight champions, will meet in an eight-round heavyweight boxing bout at Spaten Fight Night 3 in Sao Paulo on August 29, 2026. Rua said the matchup arrived on a stronger platform than the UFC contest that was discussed in 2012. "I really thought I'd end up fighting Glover in the UFC," he said.

"But now we're doing it in boxing, at Spaten, which has already become the biggest event in Brazil. " UFC president Dana White stated in 2012 that Rua had declined the fight. Rua said his team rejected the bout for strategic reasons tied to title opportunities, not because of reluctance.

"If it had been a different situation, my team would have accepted it without a doubt," he said. Both fighters retired after losses at a UFC event in Brazil in January 2023. Rua has moved to Curitiba to train under Andre Dida and currently walks at 238 pounds, expecting to weigh in lighter.

He said he expects an early finish. "Anyone who knows me knows I'm always looking for the knockout. " Spaten Fight Night 3 will receive mainstream exposure on TV Globo and is funded by one of the world's largest beverage companies.

Rua said he believes the bout will be his last but stopped short of declaring retirement.