EliteXC 'Heat' Breakdown

Murilo "Ninja" Rua vs. Benji Radach

Rua Scouting Report
Ht/Wt: 5’11/185 lbs.
Age: 28
Hometown: Curitiba, Brazil
Fighting out of: Curitiba, Brazil
Record: 16-8-1

The stakes: Rua has gone from heralded Pride Fighting Championships prospect to journeyman middleweight, thanks to some tough-luck losses and his own inability to figure out how his well-rounded style could mesh with the Chute Boxe Academy’s strike-first mentality. Now seemingly back on track after losing the EliteXC middleweight title to Robbie Lawler, Rua simply cannot afford any more speed bumps if a second title reign is in his future.

Why he’ll win: Against Radach, Rua enjoys the ability to hold his own standing while having the luxury of falling back on his underrated grappling skills should things go awry. As always, the key for Rua is to effectively mix up his approach so he takes advantage of his diverse skills.

Radach Scouting Report

Ht/Wt: 5’10/185 lbs.
Age: 29
Hometown: Castle Rock, Wash.
Fighting out of: Costa Mesa, Calif.
Record: 18-4

The stakes: After nearly three years away from the sport following a pair of crushing defeats, Radach looked like he was prepared to live up to his potential upon returning to active duty under the IFL banner. Although a wildly successful 2007 ended with an upset loss to Matt Horwich, Radach is in prime position to move himself to the top of the EXC middleweight contenders list with a win over the division’s former champion.

Why he’ll win: Don’t kid yourself when it comes to Radach; he’s essentially the MMA equivalent of a meat grinder, as his powerful striking serves him well both standing and on the mat, where his ground-and-pound is severely underrated. Given how easily Rua has been goaded into slugfests in the past, Radach may have the ideal opponent against whom to make his case for a title shot.


***

The bottom line: As much as Rua’s multi-faceted style makes him difficult to pick against, his own lack of in-cage acumen makes it exceedingly easy to see someone like Radach conning him into the kind of brawl that simply doesn’t play to Rua’s strong suits. Once a few of Radach’s bombs land, Rua will be all too willing to throw some of his own. In doing so, he’ll be the harbinger of his own defeat.