Lyoto Machida and the Best Traditional Martial Artists in MMA

As mixed martial arts has become the most dominant combat sport in the world, lost in the fray are the ancient traditional martial arts.Many fighters started out training in styles such as karate and kung fu, but few in the game still utilize thes…

As mixed martial arts has become the most dominant combat sport in the world, lost in the fray are the ancient traditional martial arts.

Many fighters started out training in styles such as karate and kung fu, but few in the game still utilize these techniques. 

Those that still integrate these arts into their game have found a great deal of success with unorthodox movements and uncommon attacks that baffle opponents.

Here are the top traditional martial artists who have found the most success in MMA.

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UFC 140 Jones vs. Machida: Weigh-in Results and Live Reaction

This Saturday’s fight between light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and former champ Lyoto Machida is one of the most intriguing matchups between any two fighters in UFC history. While most fans have Jones as the favorite, it is nearly impossi…

This Saturday’s fight between light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and former champ Lyoto Machida is one of the most intriguing matchups between any two fighters in UFC history. While most fans have Jones as the favorite, it is nearly impossible to predict the outcome of this fight.

Jones is still undefeated (with the exception of Matt Hamill, of course) and Machida has only two losses in his career, one of which could have gone either way. Will the Machida era rise from its ashes on Saturday? Or will Jones take out “The Dragon” and prove himself to be Dragonborn?

UFC 140 has a lot more going for it than just Jones vs. Machida. Frank Mir and “Big Nog” are set to face off against one another for the second time. After his performance against Brendon Schaub, many people are giving Nogueira the win in this fight, but we all know you can never count Mir out.

With so many fights that could end up being fight of the night, UFC 140 is set to be another great card in a year full of them. The weigh-ins start at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT. Make sure to check back with Bleacher Report for a minute-by-minute update of everything that goes down—this page will be updated below.

 

Preliminary Card

Mitch Clarke (154.5) vs.  John Cholish (156)

Rich Attonito (170.5) vs.  Jake Hecht (170.5)

Mark Bocek (156) vs.  Nik Lentz (156)

Yves Jabouin (136) vs.  Walel Watson (135.5)

John Makdessi (155.5) vs.  Dennis Hallman (158.5)

Jared Hamman (185) vs.  Constantinos Philippou (185)

Krzysztof Soszynski (206) vs.  Igor Pokrajac (205)

 

Main Card

Mark Hominick (145) vs.  Chan Sung Jung (145.5)

Claude Patrick (171) vs.  Brian Ebersole (170.5)

Tito Ortiz (206) vs.  Antônio Rogério Nogueira (204.5)

Frank Mir (260) vs.  Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira (239)

Jon Jones (205) vs.  Lyoto Machida (204)

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“ReX vs. Danga” – UFC 140 Edition


(The CagePotato HR Department: Boldly squashing inter-office disputes since 2007.) 

Just like pictures of hot womens and irresponsible opinions, pre-UFC event bickering has become a fixture here at CagePotato. In advance of this weekend’s card in Toronto, we locked Danga and ReX in a miniature Octagon with energy drinks, a blow-up doll, and a set of questions. We were dubious about the doll, but ReX insisted that hilarity would ensue, and he assures us that it did. It wasn’t mentioned in the final article, but some things you just don’t want to ask about.

Come on in past the jump and witness the confusion of two men discussing MMA while being distracted by said hot womens, touching on the subjects of likability, MMA Math, and the potential importance of fashion choices.


(The CagePotato HR Department: Boldly squashing inter-office disputes since 2007.) 

Just like pictures of hot womens and irresponsible opinions, pre-UFC event bickering has become a fixture here at CagePotato. In advance of this weekend’s card in Toronto, we locked Danga and ReX in a miniature Octagon with energy drinks, a blow-up doll, and a set of questions. We were dubious about the doll, but ReX insisted that hilarity would ensue, and he assures us that it did. It wasn’t mentioned in the final article, but some things you just don’t want to ask about.

Now, to the questions:

Does Lyoto stand a Crane kick’s chance in hell of winning this weekend?

RX: Funny you should mention the Crane kick, since I think Machida’s offense will give Jones some pause. Let’s not forget, quite a few pro fighters have been stymied by Machida’s style. In the Rampage fight, Jones was wary in the first round; he didn’t want to catch a big hook and go nighty-night. If he hesitates in the first, Machida can start firing off kicks to minimize Bones’ reach advantage, and it takes exactly one (1) Machida Dragon Kick to separate you from all of your earthly concerns. So… yeah, he’s got a chance. And all this has nothing to do with Machida being on my Official CagePotato Fantasy MMA Team, ok?

Look, I just want to see Jones take a good punch, ok?

Danga: Same here brother, but let’s think about this for a second: Lyoto Machida is known for one thing, utilizing distance and being elusive. Ok, two things.

RX: We’re not mentioning the other other thing?

Danga: No, now pay attention. Aside from being far too tentative, Machida’s main problem is that no kind of flying razzmatazz manuever is going to make up for the fact that he suffers nearly a foot reach disadvantage to Bones. I don’t care how much smaller his practice octagons were, come Saturday night he is going to have nowhere to go. Hell, Rua barely had a reach advantage on him and managed to keep Machida at bay for the most part. I’d also like to note that the size of Machida’s chin is significant in…er…nevermind.

Which fight is the Dark Horse for FOTN?

RX: Well, I’d think Hominick-Jung is the favorite to win FOTN, but dark horse candidate? Hamman-Phillippou could be a knockdown-dragout, what with Hamman’s ability to take punishment. How about Jabouin-Watson? Walel “The Gazelle” Watson is ridiculously long at bantamweight, has an arsenal of sick chokes, and he’s faster than my first lap dance. Plus he’s with Team Hurricane Awesome MMA Team of Awesomeness, which is a totally real thing –a CagePotato-approved camp out of San Diego — so i expect big things from him. Jabouin is no push-over of course, so we could be in for some fun back and forth exchanges. If it lasts more than sixty seconds, it could be a real crowd-pleaser.

Danga: When I initially looked at this list, I also thought that the Hominick-Jung scrap looked like a clear front runner for FOTN. Then I sat down, drank a Blue Moon with my lady, grew up, drank a Genesee Original Draft, and came to my senses. I know Jung has developed a new style and all, but Hominick is going to DESTROY him. I hate to use MMA math here, but Hominick DESTROYED the guy who DESTROYED Jung, and therefore will knock Jung out in the first 30 seconds.

RX: My head hurts. MMA MATH IS HARD. i never know what to do with the damn exponents. Do i add them or multiply? *inputs 58008 into calculator, snickers*

Danga: Haha. Boobs…what were we talking about again? Oh yeah, Fight of the Night, which is going to Mir/Nogueira. Mir is out to prove that the first match was no fluke, and is also in desperate need of an exciting match if he doesn’t want to float aimlessly amidst the heavyweight pool for the rest of his career. Plus, when has Big Nog ever been in a boring fight?

RX:  Boobies?

Danga:  Exactly.

Which Nog do you like more, not just on a personal level, but to win come Saturday night?

RX: Big Nog, all the way. First of all, because he’s fighting Frank Mir. Mir is a cerebral and articulate, and probably a great guy, but he just comes across as a pompous smarty-pants at times and people don’t like especially like him. That makes the already beloved Nogueira that much more likable on a personal level. Big Nog suffered his first stoppage loss ever to Mir three years ago (damn, has it been that long?), but i’m rolling with the “staph and injuries” story. Nogueira will be avenging that loss Saturday night. He has to. Otherwise Mir will be back in the championship hunt, and Nog will be in with Mark Hunt, and i’ll be confused and think it’s 2004 again.

Danga: Yeah, Big Nog. And don’t tell my skinny jeans that’s it’s not 2004.

Related: Little Nog is perilously close to losing three in a row, particularly if you felt that Jason Brilz deserved the decision win back at UFC 114. Would Dana cut a Nogueira?

Danga: There’s no way he’ll get cut, but do we really want to live in a world where Lil Nog is the Dan Hardy of the Light Heavyweight division? I feel icky just mentioning them both in the same sentence.

RX: Yeah, LOL j/k i’m a dumb n00b. With future plans in Brazil monster arenas and international TUF competitions, Dana will never never never never cut a Nogueira. (He will start getting lots of gatekeeper matchups, though.)

Will Canada go undefeated on the night? More importantly, what can we do to ensure Canada doesn’t go undefeated on the night?

RX: The Canucks have some tough fights on their hands, including Jabouin, Bocek (against Nik Lentz), and Claude Patrick, who matches up with the wildly unpredictable Brian Ebersole.

Danga: I’m going to go out on a limb and say yes. Bocek is better everywhere than Lentz, Patrick should be able to out grapple Ebersole, and Hominick and Jabouin are just on a different level than their opponents.

RX: I’ll say no, but it’s too close for comfort. We need to get an American agent up there for the weigh-ins to tempt the Canadian fighters with gummi bears and ice cream. Or poutine and Elsinore beer. Whatever it takes.

Danga: I think I know a guy who’d be more than willing.

What’s the over/under on the length of Dennis Ballman’s fight shorts?

RX: Doesn’t matter: i’ll take the over.

Danga: After the beating he took from both Ebersole and DW for his last…let’s call it wardrobe malfunction, I’m thinking Hallman makes his way to the octagon in snow pants, only to reveal a pair of Shinya Aoki/Karmaatemycat-esque pair of what I refer to as “the fighter’s Long Johns” for the fight itself. I’ve already thought too much about this…so how bout that Brittney Palmer?

RX: I wouldn’t be surprised if Hallman showed up in a burka. As a matter of fact, If Hallman wears anything less than knee-length board shorts in the cage, *i’ll* put on a Training Mask mankini.

Danga: Thanks, I totally didn’t want to eat any lunch today, anyway.

RX: Sorry, bro. Hey, how come Carmen Valentina hates you so much?

Danga: Three words: Prom dumpster baby.

If you feel there were some topics we missed, or have any inquiries for future debates, let us know in the comments section. 

Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida: Breaking Down the UFC 140 Main Event

We are less than 36 hours away from arguably one of the most intriguing MMA fights of the year. UFC 140 in Toronto will feature Light Heavyweight Champion Jon “Bones” Jones defending his title for the second time against former Light Heavyweight C…

We are less than 36 hours away from arguably one of the most intriguing MMA fights of the year. UFC 140 in Toronto will feature Light Heavyweight Champion Jon “Bones” Jones defending his title for the second time against former Light Heavyweight Champion Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida.

What makes this fight so interesting is the difference in style that each fighter brings. Here, we look at an analysis of each fighter heading into Saturday’s main event.

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Jon Jones Smiles at the Haters at UFC 140 Weigh-Ins

Filed under:

Jon Jones vs. Lyoto MachidaTORONTO — The pressure that comes with wearing a UFC championship belt might take its toll on some fighters, but light heavyweight champ Jon Jones seems to only get more comfortable with the idea as time wears on. The 24-year-old phenom soaked up the cheers and the jeers with a calm smile and a friendly wave at the Air Canada Centre on Friday afternoon, weighing in at 205 pounds on the nose for his title defense against former champ Lyoto Machida at UFC 140 on Saturday night.

Machida, on the other hand, seemed gripped by a nervous intensity from the moment he hit the stage. The 33-year-old Brazilian kept a stone-faced countenance as he clocked in at 204 pounds for the bout. Jones, meanwhile, seemed less affected than ever by the mixed response, looking loose and relaxed all the way through the afternoon’s proceedings.

The weigh-in wasn’t such a light-hearted affair for every fighter on the card, however. Dennis Hallman‘s move to lightweight got off to a rocky start as he weighed in at 158.5 pounds for a 155-pound bout. Elsewhere on the undercard, Canadian Mitch Clarke looked like he’d stumbled onto the stage straight from the sauna, wavering on the scale as if he might pass out at any moment. However nasty the cut may have been, at least Clarke was successful. He might have even been too successful, as he came in a half-pound under the lightweight mark at 154.5 pounds.

Full weigh-in results are below.




Main card (pay-per-view)

Jon Jones (205) vs. Lyoto Machida (204)
Frank Mir (260) vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (239)
Tito Ortiz (206) vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (204.5)
Claude Patrick (171) vs. Brian Ebersole (170.5)
Mark Hominick(145) vs. Chan Sung Jung (145.5)

Televised prelims (ION and Sportsnet)

Krzysztof Soszynski (206) vs. Igor Pokrajac (205)
Constantinos Philippou (185) vs. Jared Hamman (185)
Dennis Hallman (158.5) vs. John Makdessi (155.5)
Yves Jabouin (136) vs. Walel Watson (135.5)

Prelims (Facebook)

Mark Bocek (156) vs. Nik Lentz (156)
Rich Attonito (170.5) vs. Jake Hecht (170.5)
Mitch Clarke (154.5) vs. John Cholish (156)

%VIRTUAL-Gallery-141513%

 

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Filed under:

Jon Jones vs. Lyoto MachidaTORONTO — The pressure that comes with wearing a UFC championship belt might take its toll on some fighters, but light heavyweight champ Jon Jones seems to only get more comfortable with the idea as time wears on. The 24-year-old phenom soaked up the cheers and the jeers with a calm smile and a friendly wave at the Air Canada Centre on Friday afternoon, weighing in at 205 pounds on the nose for his title defense against former champ Lyoto Machida at UFC 140 on Saturday night.

Machida, on the other hand, seemed gripped by a nervous intensity from the moment he hit the stage. The 33-year-old Brazilian kept a stone-faced countenance as he clocked in at 204 pounds for the bout. Jones, meanwhile, seemed less affected than ever by the mixed response, looking loose and relaxed all the way through the afternoon’s proceedings.

The weigh-in wasn’t such a light-hearted affair for every fighter on the card, however. Dennis Hallman‘s move to lightweight got off to a rocky start as he weighed in at 158.5 pounds for a 155-pound bout. Elsewhere on the undercard, Canadian Mitch Clarke looked like he’d stumbled onto the stage straight from the sauna, wavering on the scale as if he might pass out at any moment. However nasty the cut may have been, at least Clarke was successful. He might have even been too successful, as he came in a half-pound under the lightweight mark at 154.5 pounds.

Full weigh-in results are below.




Main card (pay-per-view)

Jon Jones (205) vs. Lyoto Machida (204)
Frank Mir (260) vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (239)
Tito Ortiz (206) vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (204.5)
Claude Patrick (171) vs. Brian Ebersole (170.5)
Mark Hominick(145) vs. Chan Sung Jung (145.5)

Televised prelims (ION and Sportsnet)

Krzysztof Soszynski (206) vs. Igor Pokrajac (205)
Constantinos Philippou (185) vs. Jared Hamman (185)
Dennis Hallman (158.5) vs. John Makdessi (155.5)
Yves Jabouin (136) vs. Walel Watson (135.5)

Prelims (Facebook)

Mark Bocek (156) vs. Nik Lentz (156)
Rich Attonito (170.5) vs. Jake Hecht (170.5)
Mitch Clarke (154.5) vs. John Cholish (156)

%VIRTUAL-Gallery-141513%

 

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MMA Outside the Cage Podcast Ep. 1: Machida vs. Jones

MMA Outside is something new that I’m trying and this is going to be the first episode. As far as podcasts go, this should be a little different.First, no episode will go over 10 minutes.Second, there will be no fight predictions or analysis …

MMA Outside is something new that I’m trying and this is going to be the first episode. As far as podcasts go, this should be a little different.

First, no episode will go over 10 minutes.

Second, there will be no fight predictions or analysis of fights that have already taken place. Instead, it will be about the people, stories, marketing and psychology that come outside of the cage before and after the fight.

Topics will range from why certain fighters do the things they do to the sexualization of women’s MMA, to even how the UFC’s choice of music in fight promos gets fans excited and energized.

Any suggestions for the podcast or the content within it can be posted in the comments below and are welcomed. This is something of an experiment and I’m learning as much from it as hopefully I will from however many listeners decide to tune in.

Hopefully, this will become a bi-monthly series that will continue to grow and find new topics to attack.

The first episode will be about the upcoming fight at UFC 140 between Lyoto Machida an Jon Jones.

The podcast tackles the question of nature versus nurture.

It will deal with Machida’s martial arts upbringing and Jones’ natural genetic abilities.

For an added bonus, it will also focus on their respective culture and how it colors their styles of fighting.

With that said, the player is embedded here in the page so feel free to give it a listen. There is no cursing and nothing vulgar in it so it’s safe for work and it will remain that way for the duration of the series no matter how long it goes or whatever subject it tackles.

Should there ever be a subject that might be considered as such, it will be mentioned in the article post so as to forewarn listeners.

If this works out, I’ll see you all in two weeks with a new episode on how the UFC uses marketing to blind casual fans to the growth of fighters like Stephan Bonnar and Chris Leben for profit and why it is so effective.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com