At UFC Fight Night 36, Lyoto Machida and Ronaldo Souza both took a step closer to a shot at the UFC Middleweight Championship.
Machida utilized kicks and leg sweeps to beat Gegard Mousasi over five rounds. The Brazilian no doubt would have liked to make a statement by finishing the former Strikeforce champion, but he clearly established himself as the better fighter in a decision win.
Fellow Brazilian Souza is one of the best in MMA on the ground, and he showed it by controlling Francis Carmont with a body triangle for a large portion of two different rounds.
Which middleweight did more to earn a fight with the winner of a championship bout between Chris Weidman and Vitor Belfort in May?
Here is what should be next for Machida, Souza and the rest of the UFC Fight Night 36 competitors.