UFC Middleweight Bout: Lyoto Machida vs. Luke Rockhold
Odds: ( +140 Machida / -170 Rockhold )
Betting Pick: Rockhold
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Coming to us LIVE from Newark, New Jersey, 8 EST/5 PST is UFC Fight Night: Machida vs. Rochhold. This is going to be one hell of a main event. Both of these fighters need this win bad. Both are ranked in the top-5 of their weight class and want to get another shot at the title. Both fighters possess different skills sets which is going to make this fight even more interesting. Even with the best counter game quite possibly int he UFC the striking ability of Rockhold might just be too much for Machida. Or not, Rockhold’s aggressiveness might place him in a few precarious situations he won’t be able to recover from. You’re not going to want to miss this fight, and here’s my take on how its going to go.
Lyoto Machida –
Machida coming off a dismantling of Dolloway is ready to go once again. He showed the world in the last fight that he is a force not to be reckoned with. After bouncing around weight classes and it seems he has finally found his place. Even after his loss to Weidman, Machida knew he could make it back, and well, this is his shot. As I mentioned earlier, Machida might have one the best counter games in the UFC. Machida is going to need to utilize this talent it its greatest extent. We all know Rockhold is going to come out strong and aggressive, but against Machida, his strength could be his weakness. Machida is going to need patient and look for an opening Rockhold is sure to give him. Also, in my opinion Machida clearly has the better groud game in every aspect. From takedown offense to defense, it’ll be a strength he’ll be able to rely on if he’s even in trouble. My advice for Machida is exactly what I stated earlier. He needs to be patient and hope his defensive training will have paid off because Rockhold is going to come out strong. Machida needs to wait for an opening and attack. Use everything he has in his arsenal to wear Rockhold down and attack.
Luke Rockhold
Rockhold is going to come out hot and aggressive. What he needs to do though is be calculated as well. Machida is going to waiting for an opening from the flurries of punches Rockhold is going to drop on him and counter. Obviously Rockhold is a better striker but he’s going to need more than that to win this fight. One strength I believe he is going to have to utilize will be his grappling ability. Machida isn’t going to want to sit there and take punches all night so he at some point is going to want to go to the ground or get in close. When he does this, Rockhold is going to want to use his strength and talent to take control of the fight and score as many point as possible, because many believe he is going to need them. My advice for Rockhold is to go for the knockout but realize that Machida has been training, presumably for Rockhold;s striking ability and a clear opening is going to come easy. be patient, wait for it, and score point when needed, then finish it.
Prediction
I haven’t seen anytnignsaying this fight is heavily leaning one way or the other. Vegas has Rockhold at one a (-140) favorite and I believe it’s spot on. Machida has the skill set to win this fight but I don’t think its going to be enough. Rockhold is going to be calculated in his attacks and grapple to restore energy and gain point when needed. I see the aggressiveness being just a bit to much for Machida to handle and Rockhold taking this fight.
Winner – Luke Rockhold – by Knockout 3rd Round