Lyoto Machida has always been a complex puzzle to figure out inside the cage.
He’s a fighter with an elusive style who has the ability to close distance rapidly and with such force that it has brought an abrupt end to many a fighter’s night. Furthermore, with his deep arsenal of kicks, punches and knees, the proverbial kill shot can come from anywhere at any time. Those aspects add up to make The Dragon one of the most dangerous strikers to ever compete inside the Octagon, but even in a game as universally well-rounded as the one Machida brings, there are always going to be some holes.
At least there were in a certain regard.
While there is no doubting the 36-year-old Shotokan karate master possesses one of the most fluid and diverse attacks in the UFC, there have always been questions about his ability to stand tall in the face of an equally relenting attack. With Machida’s style, getting hit wasn’t part of the game plan, and fighters who have been able to touch him up have typically fared well against him, therefore making the “Machida puzzle” solvable if you can get in and stay in his face.
That said, his most recent showing against middleweight champion Chris Weidman may have significantly changed the tone and perspective of his story and added yet another wrinkle to his complex style. While Machida had a crisp first round that he took on the scorecards, the following four frames were nothing short of a dogfight. Several times both champion and challenger appeared to have the other in trouble, and neither was willing to give an inch inside the cage.
And while the end result was another successful title defense for Weidman, the Team Black House fighter emerged victorious in his own right. In those 25 minutes, Machida proved once and for all there was no quit in him and that he could buckle down into a donnybrook if need be. For a fighter who has the ability to out-quick and outmaneuver the majority of opponents, knowing he has the ability to fight in the trenches simply adds one more dangerous wrinkle to an already dynamic offensive attack.
“I definitely think I earned some new respect from the fans that night,” Machida told Bleacher Report with the assistance of a translator. “I fought with my heart, and I left it all in there. It’s great to know I have the ability to dig in and fight in close quarters because that situation may arise again in the future. It’s good to know that I’ve been there and can do it.”
The former 205-pound champion will once again put his talents to the test when he faces a resurgent CB Dollaway at UFC Fight Night 58 on Saturday night in Brazil. Whereas The Doberman was once riddled with injury and stuck in a “give one, take one” pattern in the middleweight ranks, the Power MMA representative has been on a hot streak as of late, winning four of his last five showings.
Two victories during his recent run have come in the hostile environment of a Brazilian arena in bouts where he’s played the role of underdog and pulled off a pair of impressive upsets. Yet, this will be his first test against a seasoned former titleholder in Machida, and The Dragon has no plans of being the biggest addition to Dollaway’s resume.
He’s looking forward to putting on another show for his countrymen and getting back into striking distance of another championship opportunity.
“It’s a great opportunity to be fighting here in Brazil again,” Machida said. “I get to represent my country and fight in front of my Brazilian fans. I think CB [Dollaway] is a guy who may not have any one particular skill that is necessarily special, but he’s a very dangerous guy all around. That said, I am not thinking about what he’s done before or plans to do in this fight. I’m only focused on my game and what I need to do to get the victory.
“Every fight that I have I’m one step closer to the belt, and I’ve always kind of been up there in both divisions I’ve competed at. I think a win here gets me back to being one step closer to a title shot.”
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
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