Machida Bandwagon: 205 lb Dark Horse Contender

**Rambamatic** · 04-23-2007, 10:44 AM

Machida Dark Horse for 205 title?
I have been a huge fan of Lyoto Machida for a long time. I know that his fights aren't the most exciting for John Q. Public, but he's as smart and technically sound a fighter as exists in MMA today. I do believe that he's the next contender for the 205 belt (or maybe 185 if he can drop down). I know some people have pooh-poohed his record because of the constant decisions, but he KO'd Franklin, and beat Bonnar, White, Hoger, and B.J. Penn by being the smarter, more technical fighter who knew how to keep the fight in the area where he wanted it and control the match.

Here's my prediction: Now that Machida has a UFC victory, they'll give him Rashad Evans next. Rashad will be a very difficult test of Machida's skill, and I'd say that that fight would be either man's fight, especially since Rashad is very smart about his planning and strategy. However, I'd give advantage to Machida: I think his ground game is good enough to force Rashad to give way (essentially pull off what Bonnar TRIED to do), and his striking is better than Rashad's as well.

Machida / Liddell would be a very interesting fight: Both are stand-up strikers that rely on body positioning and capitalizing on their opponent's mistakes to counter fight. Machida is more athletic than Chuck, better on the ground, and "smarter" in his overall approach; Chuck has the KO power that Machida lacks, the obvious takedown defense, and is more aggressive and dangerous in close.

If it were held right now, I'd give advantage to Chuck. However, Machida is maturing as a fighter, and if there is a single fighter out there right now who can find the strategy to beat Chuck on the feet, Machida has the technique and smarts to find it and execute it.

The other possibility, of Machida dropping down to 185, is very interesting too. I'd love to see a Machida / Franklin rematch and a Silva/ Machida fight would be very exciting as well.

Overall, I can't wait to see how Machida carves out his niche in UFC: his presence is going to shake up the 205 division as the line for whomever comes out of the Jackson / Liddell fight gets longer. When the smoke clears, Machida will be at the head of that line.

machadojj · 04-23-2007, 10:53 AM

I think Machida should just drop to 185 and dominate there. At 205, he would do great, but I can see him having problems with a very good and stronger grappler than he is. Still, he is a TERRIBLE matchup for Liddell, though I think right now Liddell would take it...

ShinRyuKen · 04-23-2007, 10:55 AM

Definitely a contender at 205, he's 2 fights away from a titleshot IMO...he just needs to fight a ranked opponent next.

thatherton · 04-23-2007, 10:56 AM

Its good to see Machida finally getting the pub he deserves. (even though his fight at UFC70 was blacked out...WTF?). He toiled away in obscurity under The Chin, even though he beat some of the worlds best. I think he's a beast at 205...is there anyone out there who he wouldn't have a good chance against? I think not

WAR MACHIDA

WBC Rezen · 04-23-2007, 10:58 AM

He's great and one of the best technical fighter alive today but Dana is not going to give him a shot until he starts finishing opponents. He has Heath and Hogar in some sticky situations where he should and could have finished the fight.

wfram1977 · 04-23-2007, 10:59 AM

He is the last guy I would want to watch fight for some reason, I can't get that booring ass fight between him and Tiger White out of my head.

jTF2 · 04-23-2007, 11:00 AM

^It was blacked out because the fight was uninspiring and boring. Machida's style makes people snooze but its highly effective. He definetly uses his brains more than skill in his fights.

EckY · 04-23-2007, 11:02 AM

I like watching Machida fight, he put on a clinic against Heath.

He uses pure shotokan karate, single poiwer shots then reposition for the next, he never gets hit and he always lands. He always increases the pressure as the time goes on. He almost stopped Heath with a nasty series of knees in the third, which is more a testament to Heath's chin than anything else.

TacWar · 04-23-2007, 11:03 AM

Machida is a definite contender at 185 or 205, and I think that its sad how the UFC hasn't aired his last two fights, the average MMA fan I talk to has no clue who he is and its sad considering how damn good he is. I think if you give him two or three more fights in the cage he will be ready to take on anyone, I'm excited to see just how far he goes.

EckY · 04-23-2007, 11:04 AM

I like watching Machida fight, he put on a clinic against Heath.

He uses pure shotokan karate, single poiwer shots then reposition for the next, he never gets hit and he always lands. He always increases the pressure as the time goes on. He almost stopped Heath with a nasty series of knees in the third, which is more a testament to Heath's chin than anything else.