Quote:
Originally Posted by OaklandIsMyCity
Forrest had the reach advantage and was throwing kicks and at the end of the night still ended up getting whooped.
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I think you're missing the fact that Forrest changed his fighting style from straight up brawling to that style. I'd say he couldn't use those advantages because he hasn't trained that style if fighting for a very long time.
Machida, on the other hand, is the synonym for that fighting style. That's THE Machida style. That's what he's always done more or less aggressively depending on fight. Keep the range, dont brawl, lots of leg kicks (mixed with other kicks), lots of straight punches, lots of feints, lateral movement, ability to keep it standing if needed. Machida is awesome at all of these parts of the game.
In many analyzes people come to the conclusion that you have to be faster in order to keep up with the famous elusiveness and stay in control of the fight and choose the range that you want. When you are in control you can land shots from the range you want, try a take down, throw some strikes and sweep and then try to work out a sub or gnp. When you are not in control, being slow and untechnical you cant do any of that. You can just swing air and take it in the face for the whole fight while Lyoto picks you apart or counter-punches you down. I guess it means that in order to beat Machida you have to be better at "being machida" than he is. This proves that being elusive and winning points if needed in fact IS the best way to do MMA.
At this point I'm concidering Thiago to be the just guy who's there just to make Lyoto look good. Nothing more. I'm not even giving him the chance of magically pulling off a one hit KO, as I don't think he has the power for that. He has no realistic chance whatsoever.
Next in line is Rashad (I'm assuming they let Ramapage take his revenge on Forrest as he has said to want to do). I'm not counting Rashad out completely, as he's fought some tough competition and managed to pull off some great finishes. In my books Machida is has the advantage, but Evans is miles ahead of Thiago and I'm egarly waiting for this fight to happen. All Machida has to do is take it (I hate to say it...) very, very slow, pick him apart and force Rashad to be the aggressor. Trying to fight from range waiting for a chance to flash KO isn't gonna help Evans at all, as I can bet my left nut that Lyoto will not do anything too hasty and careless against a guy who has won his last 2 fights by being able to really wait and burst all he's got at the right moment. It will be a very careful and some could say boring match.
