The build-up to UFC 128, to be held at Newark, New Jersey this weekend, has been notable for the fact the champion Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, who will be defending his light-heavyweight title belt, has been virtually ignored by the media while the challenger, Jon "Bones" Jones, has hogged all the headlines.

In fact, it's hard to recall the last time a champion of Rua's stature took a backseat to a challenger the way the light-heavyweight champion has done this week.

The reason is Jones' exciting style of fighting, enormous potential and marketability. And the fact he's just 23. 

Jones has dominated the media coverage this week, with the use of his Twitter account, interviews for MMA websites and a 30-minute special produced by the UFC, giving the American the maximum coverage leading up to the title fight.

Rua, on the other hand, has had little to say all week and when interviewed he has given the stock standard answers about "looking forward to the fight" and "being well prepared for his opponent."

This can be attributed, in some part, to the Brazilian's inability to speak English fluently. However, the overwhelming feeling is that Rua doesn't want to give Jones any added fuel for the already raging fire.

It has been widely rumoured during the week that Rua's camp has been unhappy with the lack of respect their fighter is receiving. Also the fact the Las Vegas bookmakers instilled Jones as favourite is alleged to have infuriated the Brazilians trainers and friends.

In an interview given to MMAfighting.com's Ariel Helwani, Rua suggested that he did not feel disrespected by Jones and that he felt like Jones deserved the tag of favourite.

"I didn't feel disrespected because he's been winning his fights soundly," he said. "I already was expecting the press and odds makers to consider him the favourite. He earned that. I really have to cherish the support from my fans for believing in me."

The real statements however were uttered from Rua's interpreter, Eduardo Alonso, who was unable to hold his tongue any longer.

"I'm growing tired of people doubting him (Rua)," Alonso said. "It keeps happening; people keep doubting him and saying that he is going to lose. This whole thing is getting really annoying now. Shogun has been fighting and beating the top opponents in the world for seven years, I mean what else does he have to do to prove his worth."

"Shogun has proven that he can beat the best guys in the world and Jones hasn't. Really, if you look at it, Jones is not proven yet."

"Maybe he (Jones) will become great and rise to the occasion one day, but right now he is not as good as Shogun. Jones is a very talented fighter with a really bright future ahead of him, but nobody is going to walk through Shogun. Look at what this guy has done. No one is going to beat him."

Alonso continued to reiterate that Rua and his coaches were not given the respect they deserved, a statement that was contradicted by Rua only minutes before.

"I think people should respect his past and his legacy and his skills a lot more. People still don't respect us, they still think that we are going to lose. I mean why? Give us some respect."

Alonso then fired the bullet that the entire MMA community had been waiting for, a direct shot at Jones that did not miss the mark.

"We do our work just like everyone else. We don't need the hype, the fancy suits or the talk. We don't need to be taking pictures for Twitter every five minutes and talking all the time. We will do our talking come Saturday."

It had taken a full week of interviews and press conferences but finally the truth was spoken and it was not from the fighter but his friend and interpreter. Six weeks of lip biting and tongue holding was thrown out the window in a 60-second rant that had more passion, vigour and veracity than Rua's interviews had all week.

When these statements were put to Jones, the humble and at times reserved fighter was flabbergasted and dumbfounded at what he could have done to entice such feelings.

"I have no idea what they are alluding to and to be honest I am not quite sure what they are talking about," he said.

It appeared that through no fault of Jones', Rua and his camp had been riled and upset by the way that the light-heavyweight champion was being treated. That he was not the favourite, that he was seen to be a stepping stone for Jones and that people thought that he was not going to win infuriated his team. Yet this was the same team that six weeks before stated that it was Jones and not Rua who was the favourite.

What is for certain is that when the opening bell rings for tomorrow's five-round title fight, Rua has the chance to gain the respect that he thinks he deserves and quell the detractors that have written him off.