Lyoto Machida and Mauricio Rua pose at Friday's weigh-ins.

BY JAMES BRYDON
sportsnet.ca

MONTREAL -- Mauricio (Shogun) Rua said Friday he was well-prepared to show that he’s “the true champion in the light-heavyweight division.”

Saturday night at the Bell Centre in Montreal he’ll get that chance in the anticipated rematch against current title-holder and fellow Brazilian Lyoto (The Dragon) Machida.

If the crowd reaction at Friday’s weigh-ins for UFC 113: Machida vs. Shogun 2 is any indication, many alreaedy believe he is. Rua was heartily cheered when his name was announced.

The two fought to a five-round decision at UFC 104 in October, with Rua peppering Machida with kicks to the legs and, according to FightMetric and Compuscore, landing more strikes overall than Machida.

However, the champion retained his title as all three judges scored the bout in Machida’s favour, three rounds to two, in a decision that kept his undefeated record intact but has sparked plenty of debate since.

Machida also drew the ire from some fans by dismissing any controversy and insisting that he clearly won the fight. His manager Ed Soares suggested Rua needed to do more to try to finish the fight and leg kicks don’t do that.

Fans in Montreal apparently don’t buy it. They mostly booed Machida when he made his entrance into the weigh-ins and you can expect similar reactions Saturday night. The only way he’ll sway people back on his side is with a convincing win.

And after two straight main events that resulted in a champion apologizing after a winning performance, the last thing the UFC wants is another controversial result.

One thing is for sure -- fans have been waiting almost seven months for these two to settle the matter and by all accounts they are ready to put on a show.