Maurício Shogun announces new coach. His team will be led by Glaube Feitosa. Photo: UFC/Disclosed

Tuesday morning, April 23, we reported a statement by Andre Dida via Facebook, claiming he is no longer Maurício “Shogun” Rua’s coach.

In an interview with SPORTV.com, the fighter has spoken about it and anticipating response to criticism, revealed the name of the new head coach of his team.

“It will be Glaube Feitosa, who has worked with me for a long time,” Rua said. “He is a muay thai athlete and fought the K-1. The guys think I abandoned, I didn’t abandon. I’ll keep everyone calm by knowing I am not alone.”

The information comes at an important moment in the career of former UFC heavyweight champion.

Since he lost the belt to Jon Jones, Mauricio Shogun hasn’t been winning consecutive fights in the UFC, and the athlete has been criticized for his physical conditioning in his fights. Shogun seems to be willing to have a twist in his career, seeking new partnerships, something that his brother Murilo Ninja had already advised.

Former UFC light heavyweight champion explained that there wasn’t a fight between him and Dida, just a disagreement on how to train for the upcoming challenges.

“There was no fight, on the contrary,” he said. “I called him, we talked, it was my decision. The training was not like before, that’s why. I have already started the camp and I am with several professors and athletes that are helping me. I’ve just changed my coach. I told him we couldn’t go on. Dida is my friend, but it was a professional thing. I have nothing against him, but I have to look for what’s the best for me.”

Shogun fights on June 15 in Winnipeg, Canada against Rogerio Minotouro. This is a highly anticipated rematch for MMA fans, who in 2005 saw a great match between the two at the now-extinct Pride.

Check out the card for UFC 161:

UFC 161
Winnipeg, Canada
June 15, 2013

Renan Barão vs. Eddie Wineland
Rashad Evans vs. Dan Henderson
Rogério Minotouro vs. Maurício Shogun
Jake Shields vs. Tyron Woodley
Stipe Miocic vs. Soa Palelei
Pat Barry vs. Shawn Jordan
Sam Stout vs. Isaac Vallie-Flagg
Alexis Davis vs. Rosi Sexton
Sean Pierson vs. TJ Waldburger
Ryan Jimmo vs. Igor Pokrajac
Mitch Clarke vs. John Maguire
Roland Delorme vs. Edwin Figueroa
Dustin Pague vs. Yves Jabouin

Lyoto prepares for Shogun. Photo: Josh Hedges

How has your hand recovered?

I had surgery, but I was already back in training in December. I was only cleared to punch in late January and I’ve been hitting well for about a month now. I’m not feeling anything and my hand is good.

In the last fight, if just for your having come off back-to-back fights, you said you may have overdone it. How is your prep-work going now?

I’m very disciplined in training. I’ve been accompanied by a nutritionist, physical trainer, with my father helping me with technique and Walter Broca with my ground game. We’re doing all that to avoid stress, and not get overloaded.

But at what stage are you in your preparations?

Taking a good look at it, training started a long while back, because we worked on fundamentals in December and January. Now we are at the specific training part and closer to the fight we’ll take care of the strategic part of the fight. Now we are mainly working on fundamentals, covering everything so as not to get surprised and so I can respond wherever the fight may play out.

Will you do your final phase of training in Belem again?

Training will basically be all here. The overall context of the work we’re doing hasn’t changed much. You live and learn and we’re always improving. These days, training is all up to me. The only people involved are the ones I hired to train with me. It’s closed-door training.

But you won’t hook up with friends Minotauro and Anderson Silva to train together a bit?

I won’t discard the possibility of looking up Anderson, who is a good friend of mine, or Minotauro. But it is a bit tricky, because everyone has their own commitments. Anderson will fight now and Minotauro just fought, so I can’t say right now. I have to go out and do my own thing. Of course, I make the most of the tips they give me. When we meet, we’ll exchange a lot of information. That’s how I see it.

Check out a video of Machida’s highlights: