Lyoto Machida earns a shot at the title - "The Dragon is Back!"
Posted on August 4, 2012, 11:20 PM by Mike Searson
The UFC on Fox 4 card made up for the major disappointment that was UFC 149. Going into this event, UFC President Dana White promised that whomever won in the most spectacular fashion in the Main Event (Shogun Rua vs. Brandon Vera and Lyoto Machida vs. Ryan Bader) at the Staples Center would go on to face the winner of Dan Henderson vs. Jon Jones at the upcoming UFC 151 for a shot at the Light Heavyweight Title. The card ended with a pair of major knockouts by Mauricio "Shogun" Rua and Lyoto "The Dragon" Machida.
That left a tough decision for White, because both men came through with efforts worthy of a title shot.
White confirmed at the end of the evening, though, that it was Lyoto Machida who had earned the chance. "The Dragon" knocked out Bader with a big right hand as Bader rushed him (making history as he was the first man to knock out the former Arizona State wrestling star) at 1:32 of the second round.
Speaking to the media at the post-fight presser, White said: "Everything I've seen from Lyoto Machida shows me that he wants this more than Shogun does. Shogun Rua hasn't shown me that he wants it like Machida does. What I can tell you is that he wants it badly. Now he's got it, so we'll see."
Immediately after his fight Machida said: "I think I successfully controlled the entire fight. I changed my stance back and forth from southpaw as often as possible to keep him guessing. I was just looking to counter when he made mistakes, and that's how I was able to finish him. 'The Dragon' is back. I lost my last fight, but I feel better than ever and I’m ready to fight for the title again."
This was Machida's first victory since he defeated Randy Couture at UFC 129 in Toronto, Canada last January via KO by front kick that him earned Knockout of the Night honors. He has since lost once to current Light Heavyweight champ Jon Jones this past December at UFC 140.
Comments
The Dragon is really Back!
Oh man YEs he is ! The Dragon will soon be the Champion !
The problem is that Jones isn't going to rush in, for a counter. But Machida looked better than Rua. Rua's conditioning is very poor, i'm not sure if it's all the the injuries or what, but maybe TRT is the answer.
TRT isn't gonna help Rua if he doesn't work as hard as he used to, and I hear that is the case and has been since he come back from injury. Machida proved in the first fight with Jones he has the style to beat him on the feet, he didn't wait for counters he used a lot of faints, stayed on the outside and used that Karate rush technique to close the distance, land shots and get out which actually worked for a round, however once Machida takes a bit of damage his intensity drops and Jones will capitalize on that just like he did last time. Once Jones grabs a hold of guys it's bad news, even if you stop the take down your probably gonna eat some nasty elbows.
Can't sell sarcasm over the net very well, oh well. But TRT would defiantly help him, unless his natural level is the max, than no, but otherwise it would surely help him.
That is so true about Jones not rushing in....
Everyone is talking stupid that the "Dragon is back"...
What the heck are you suggesting...the Dragon was gone and now came back....
Jones is not going to rush in like Bader. Jones for being so young is a very patient and smart fighter. He takes his time...Touches you up....catches your mistakes....and once you are hurt he comes in and finishes you....
That is exactly the way Machida got beat last time by Jones. Machida is the one who tried to implement his karate blitz. Jones caught him coming in.....staggered Machida.....then got Machida in the clinch...took him down...cut him with an elbow.....then put him to sleep standing up....
There is no training or learning something different when you fight someone like Jones...Jones has a reach, skills, endurance and athleticism that cannot be matched at 205.....
He may not be fighting Bones. He might just be fighting Hendo. Now that is a fight that I have not put any decent thought into. I like this match just as well as a rematch with the champ.
Yesssss!!!!Hope Hendo wins so he can get his old ass KTFO! Dragon WARS babay!!!!
Hendo is never getting knocked out homey...
TKO'd maybe, K.O'd unlikely, that mans chin is made from cinderblock with steel beams inside lol
...whatever.
People are talking like Bones already beat Hendo. Let me tell you something people, Hendo ain't no mugger in the park looking for his next crack rock. He is a legit threat waiting to blast Bones with that big bomb he packs around. Lets at least wait & see what happens before we throw Machita to the wolves!
yeah! i think the machida from now would beat shogun in a rematch. his style looks very similar to AS...with all the faking hand-movements.
if he fights jones next, im def. rooting for machida, but i think jones will win again. if he fights against hendo, i give him a really good chance to win that thing!
and by the way,...thank for the money shogun and machida. made 90 € +
Yea....watching shoguns recent fights and machida of old and tonight...make me wonder how shogun won in the first place.
If AS got machida's takedown defense and machida got AS' durability machida would probably be champ
He won by being a better fighter. But i do believe that injuries have slowed him down a lot. Either he takes some time off and workout the difficulties or retire. Because gassing out in the second round when you are going to be fighting a 5 round fight is nuts.
Great performance from the Dragon, hope he gets his title back, he is the only one with the tools to win, Shogun was flat on his feet after round one, Jones would pick him apart again.
when machida bowed down after the KO - it was kind of creepy (in a good way) on how it seemed that he was so assured that it was going to end that way - and the way he stood in front of bader seemed a.silva-ish. With this performance - this may actually be the first time i'll be on Jones' opponent.
but then again, we're all just an H-bomb away.
And yes it is still the machida era
The Dragon is back for the 3rd time!!!
LHW division is the most boring division in the UFC right now. Jones needs to step up to HW and fight a legitimate threat. No disrespect towards Hendo or any of the other guys but all any of them have is a punchers chance.
Machida already beat Jones for one round. He got taken down and ate an elbow that he couldn't recover from in the second and that was that. If he has worked on his elusiveness and TDD then he has a good shot at beating Jones. All he has to do is make sure the fight stays standing. If he does that, he wins. If not, he loses BUT he has a good chance.
Machida barely got the first against Jones in the first fight. Then got murdered on the ground, and on the feet in the second.
If Jones gets by Hendo I'd rather see him just move up.
But I also wanted to see him just move up after Evans.
Dear MMA journalists, If Machida wins the belt back can all you please stay away from Steven Rape-pants Seagal? That freak deserves no glory from any UFC fighter's success.