In 2000, Harlem rapper Black Robb released the song “Whoa!” On November 8th in Uberlândia, Brazil Mauricio Rua will fight Jimi Manuwa and Black Robb’s initial happy exclamation of the English language will finally come to fruition. The violence of Rua meeting the face punching prowess of Manuwa is the essence of “Whoa!”
With both men eight months removed from brutal losses, Rua via Dan Henderson direct punch and Manuwa via Alexander Gustafsson clubbing, their backs are against the wall. When your nicknames are Shogun and Poster Boy your back is never truly up against cage.
Despite dropping three of hi s last five fights, Rua’s arsenal of Muay Thai techniques match-up perfectly with Manuwa’s stand-up style. Previously unbeaten, a win over Rua for Manuwa would be the biggest trophy of the Britt’s six year career.
If Rua knees Manuwa into the first row the former UFC light heavyweight champ may have one more epic run left in him. If Manuwa punches out Rua out of the top ten, then the UFC has just cut and laminated another 205 pound beast. If Black Robb is somehow watching all this unfold from his New York home, that’s just crazy.
Our friends at #WHOATV with their first promo for UFC Fight Night: Shogun vs. Manuwa
