UFC Fight Night 36 was supposed to clear up the middleweight title picture. Instead, after clear cut but otherwise routine wins by the division’s No. 4 man Lyoto Machida, and No. 3 man Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza, the question remains as muddled as ever as to where exactly the UFC goes from here.
Both Machida and Souza called for a title shot in the aftermath of their victories, and realistically both men could make a convincing case for why they should face the winner of Chris Weidman vs. Vitor Belfort. So I’m curious for your thoughts. Who should get the next middleweight title shot? Is it Machida? Souza? Or do both still have something left to prove? Sound off and let your voice be heard in the comments below.
But I digress. As usual, the mixed marital arts community was buzzing on Twitter throughout Saturday night, and we’ve compiled the best of bunch for y’all to enjoy.
These guys are snipers. Calm, cool & collected @ufc @lyotomachidafw @mousasi_mma
— Urijah Faber (@UrijahFaber) February 16, 2014
I got machida not very impressive but he’s won every round.
— Luke Rockhold (@LukeRockhold) February 16, 2014
I’m glad I didn’t fight Machida. I’m not sure I can handle the announcers talking about him exploding on me over & over again #UFCFightNight
— Tim Kennedy (@TimKennedyMMA) February 16, 2014
Mousasi not active enough to be winning this fight #ufc
— Chris Camozzi (@ChrisCamozzi) February 16, 2014
Jones deleting tweets in record time. http://t.co/HspkuLFb0l
— David St. Martin (@SaintMMA) February 16, 2014
Amazing job by @lyotomachidafw , can’t wait to see him against the winner of Belfort and Weidman!!! Good effort by Mousasi. #UFCFightNight
— Mark Bocek (@MarkBocek) February 16, 2014
What a chest match!
— Cung Le (@CungLe185) February 16, 2014
Machida is so crafty, love to watch him fight!
— Rick Hawn (@RickHawnMMA) February 16, 2014
I must say @mousasi_mma is WAY tougher than I expected…
— Ed Soares (@edblackhouse) February 16, 2014
I’m sure if many of you understand how amazing that was for machida to take his back from that position. #impressive
— Chris Clements (@menaceclements) February 16, 2014
Holy shit Mousasi was hurt he just has an amazing poker face. #UFConFOX
— Marcelino Evil (@KCBanditMMA) February 16, 2014
Machida fight is pretty boring
— andrew fisher (@andrewfisher9) February 16, 2014
Machida is so fast at 85
— Dana White (@danawhite) February 16, 2014
@RenerGracie I was just about to ask if Lyoto was aiming for a “triple threat back attack” but I didn’t know what that meant… So I didn’t.
— Tim Kennedy (@TimKennedyMMA) February 16, 2014
Amazed at Mousasi’s chin tonight. Never seen a guy eat Lyoto’s head kick like that. Machida is fast as a turbocharged chetah at 185
— Joe Rogan (@joerogan) February 16, 2014
Lyoto! @lyotomachidafw … Great fight #UFCFightNight #Southpaws
— Zachary Makovsky (@ZachFunSize) February 16, 2014
@lyotomachidafw é cinturão!!! Machida title shot!! http://t.co/fhJTOgZ5xO
— Rafael dos Anjos (@RdosAnjosMMA) February 16, 2014
Man this is an exciting chess match fight . 2 top guys jocking for position #UFN36
— Derek Brunson (@DerekBrunsonMMA) February 16, 2014
UFC Fight Night 36 ties UFC 169 for most decisions at a single event with 10. #UFCFightNight
— Michael Carroll (@MJCflipdascript) February 16, 2014
UFC Fight Night 36 also broke the total cage time record with 173 minutes and 32 seconds of fighting. #UFCFightNight
— Michael Carroll (@MJCflipdascript) February 16, 2014
Machida is one of the most intelligent fighters in @ufc history! Great night of fights, good night amigos… #UFCFightNight
— Akira Corassani (@AkiraCorassani) February 16, 2014
Vitória! Obrigado pelo apoio! Thanks for all support! #TeamLyoto pic.twitter.com/OfITvp73Nq
— Lyoto Machida (@lyotomachidafw) February 16, 2014
JACARE COMIN’ FOR THAT BELT
Big ups to Jacare on the win. Carmont is tough to put away. Jacare is one of the best in the world I can tell u from experience.
— Luke Rockhold (@LukeRockhold) February 16, 2014
This has been the night of the body triangle. #FightNight
— Tim Kennedy (@TimKennedyMMA) February 16, 2014
Parabens @JacareMMA !!!so temos alegrias por obedecer a nosso Deus maravilhoso!!
— Rafael dos Anjos (@RdosAnjosMMA) February 16, 2014
Nice fight to @franciscarmont and @JacareMMA 🙂
— Ivan Menjivar ufc (@Ivanmenjivar) February 16, 2014
Carmont is HUGE!!!
— Dana White (@danawhite) February 16, 2014
Typical Frenchie. mean mugs so hard, but doesn’t do a whole lot to back it up.
— Ben Askren (@Benaskren) February 16, 2014
Jacare in the same position I was in during my fight with the hand under chin and couldn’t get the choke either..wonder if anyone has tips?!
— Kevin Lee (@MoTownPhenom) February 16, 2014
Carmount normally win these type of decisions , huh @FilthyTomLawlor #UFN36
— Derek Brunson (@DerekBrunsonMMA) February 16, 2014
I believe that @JacareMMA will be the UFC champion…Eu acredito q o jacare sera o campeao de sua categoria…e vcs? pic.twitter.com/tjRgFQUzSz
— Antonio Pezao Silva (@BigfootSilva) February 16, 2014
KNOCKOUTS ARE POSSIBLE, FOLKS
Unfortunately I’ve heard this too often in my life but, that didn’t last too long
— Matthew (@mattmitrione) February 16, 2014
That’s right hold on to a single leg until he Knocks you out
— roland delorme UFC (@rolanddelorme1) February 16, 2014
I love how the UFC always tries to find the easiest possible opponents for Brazilians in Brazil. Some of these guys are schmucks.
— Ben Askren (@Benaskren) February 16, 2014
Erik Silva’s takedown defense… DAMN!
— Kyle Kingsbury (@Kingsbu) February 16, 2014
How many hammer fists before u let go of the single?! OUCH
— Dana White (@danawhite) February 16, 2014
Wow. Heel to face takedown defence. That’s a first. #ufc http://t.co/W2OeWP4UMI
— Chris Clements (@menaceclements) February 16, 2014
Damn what a KO!
— Louis Gaudinot (@LouGaudinotUFC) February 16, 2014
Well if that wasn’t a gimmie I don’t know what was. Might as well have just put a punching bag in there with him.
— Ben Askren (@Benaskren) February 16, 2014
The leprechaun kick from a single defense?! Learn something new every day.
— James Krause (@TheJamesKrause) February 16, 2014
Amazing performance by Silva! #UFCFightNight
— Mark Bocek (@MarkBocek) February 16, 2014
Eric silva looked pretty god. Didn’t that @jonfitchdotnet guy kick his ass?
— phil baroni (@philbaroni) February 16, 2014
With that knockout, Erick Silva becomes the 6th mod. era UFC fighter to earn two or more knockouts in under a minute each. #UFCFightNight
— Michael Carroll (@MJCflipdascript) February 16, 2014
MUSOKE COMPLETES THE COMEBACK
Who are these dudes? #UFCFightNight
— James Krause (@TheJamesKrause) February 16, 2014
Little premature celebration there
— roland delorme UFC (@rolanddelorme1) February 16, 2014
What an idiot!!
— Michael Johnson (@FollowTheMenace) February 16, 2014
–Roger Huerta“yo bro you’re using my gimmick” -Brazilian dude ” nah bro my tribal sleeve is on the other arm irmaou” Ugh
— Cole Miller (@colemillerATT) February 16, 2014
Is the crowd booing or howling !? Sounds like a scene from Walking Dead #UFN36
— Derek Brunson (@DerekBrunsonMMA) February 16, 2014
And to think this guy had the fight won and just lost a decision. #badmove
— Michael Johnson (@FollowTheMenace) February 16, 2014
What a comeback from the knockdown by @NicoMusoke . I’ve got it 2 rounds to Nico! #UFCFightNight
— Akira Corassani (@AkiraCorassani) February 16, 2014
OLIVEIRA SUBS OGLE
Olieveira is an animal. Love watching him fight. #UFCFightNight
— James Krause (@TheJamesKrause) February 16, 2014
That was an entertaining fight. The little fella fought his heart out. Sometimes you get caught!
— Matthew (@mattmitrione) February 16, 2014
ahhhhh shit ogle had that I was thinking
— Robert Whiteford UFC (@Flyinjudoka) February 16, 2014
No one should give their back that easy. Ogle has good defence but it seems he is too comfortable there
— TJ Grant (@TJ_Grant) February 16, 2014