Vanderlei Silva and Marco Ruas Challenge Rickson!!

[DUCE]

Brazilian magazine 'Tatame' filmed a segment with Vanderlei Silva and Marco Ruas for their on-line video show, in which both Silva and Ruas challenged Rickson Gracie to an MMA fight.

The challenge is the result of an interview Rickson recently did, in which he made several controversial and disparaging remarks regarding the MMA fighters of today. Here's what Vanderlei and Ruas had to say:


Vanderlei Silva: Rickson, if you think Vale-Tudo is at a low technical level, then why don't you come fight me in PRIDE? I challenge you to fight me for the light heavyweight belt on December 31st.

Ruas: He said he challenged me and that I asked four months to train. That was not true because I was 100% ready that day, but he said he was looking for Luta-Livre guys, not me. Everybody in Brazil always dreamed of seeing this fight. I think we finally could make it. We are about the same age. It would be a great pleasure for me to make a retirement fight against Rickson.


The video will be up on the Tatame website next Friday.

[DUCE]

Marco versus Rickson would be great to watch! I think Silva would crush him though....

[Magog]

duce said:

Marco versus Rickson would be great to watch! I think Silva would crush him though....

I think RIckson would dust Marco. But even though your right about Silvia... that would be a better draw of a fight. I want to see Silvia fighting more big names more often.

[DUCE]

Agreed sans Rickson versus Marco. Marco has dreamed about this encounter for so long. There is no way he would go out with a quick tap and a humiliating handsake. I am not a fan of either of them. I respect both of them.

[Magog]

By the way I was just assuming these would be Pride matches, there pacing would fit well in that arena.

[DUCE]

Marco wouldn't be stupid enough to try a lay and pray with Rickson. If he did he'd be tapping the mat quick.

[CP]

Too bad none of this will ever happen. I can't see him accepting Vanderlai or Ruas challenge, since he would demand way too much money (I read he made 7 figures for the Takada and Funaki fights) and he is almost 50 years old.

I am disappointed that Rickson never accepted a fight with Sakuraba during Sakuraba's prime when he was beating Gracie's left and right. That would have made huge money for both sides. He also never accepted Bas Rutten's challenge, back when Bas the best fighter in the world.

[Magog1]

I heard Bas at one time was considering making a come back what ever happened to that?

[CP]

Bas did consider a comeback in late 2001 to early 2002. It was halted due to various injuries (knee, shoulder, biceps), mix that in with age and all of the projects he was doing for the entertainment business. He decided to call off the comeback for good.