With his highlight-reel knockout over Mark Munoz last Saturday at UFC Fight Night 30, Lyoto Machida became a major player in the UFC’s increasingly competitive middleweight division.
Despite the victory being his first showing at 185 pounds, “The Drago…
With his highlight-reel knockout over Mark Munoz last Saturday at UFC Fight Night 30, LyotoMachida became a major player in the UFC’s increasingly competitive middleweight division.
Despite the victory being his first showing at 185 pounds, “The Dragon’s” credentials as former light heavyweight champion and status as one of the most unpredictable strikers in MMA factored into the 35-year-old Brazilian landing on the middleweight title radar.
Following his showing in Manchester, England, the MMA world was abuzz with potential matchups for the Team Black House fighter’s next challenge. UFC president Dana White weighed in on the matter during the post-fight press conference, suggesting he would like to see the “Machida karate” master face former light heavyweight champion and two-divisional threat VitorBelfort in his next bout.
“The Phenom” is slated to face Dan Henderson in his next showing at UFC Fight Night 32 on Nov. 9. If the 36-year-old Team Blackzilians fighter defeats “Hendo” in their upcoming tilt, his red-hot status would continue its upward trajectory, and a bout with Machida could be made.
Machida has shown interest in the fight, telling Guilherme Cruz of MMA Fighting that Belfort is the best possible option for him at this time because of the former title challenger’s place in the divisional rankings.
While The Dragon wants the fight to happen, his camp doesn’t believe Belfort would accept the bout. Machida‘s manager Jorge Guimaraes told UFC Tonight’s Ariel Helwani that Belfort would decline a bout with his fighter because the stylistic matchup wouldn’t favor the MMA legend.
With talk of the potential matchup heating up, Belfort‘s stance remains unclear, as he has yet to comment on the situation. He is preparing for his upcoming bout with Henderson—which is a rematch seven years in the making—and it is unlikely he will speak about the possible Machida fight until after UFC Fight Night 32.
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report.
Saying Lyoto Machida’s arrival to the middleweight division was highly anticipated is putting it mildly.
The former light heavyweight champion is undoubtedly one of the most difficult puzzles to solve in mixed martial arts as he’s continuously proven t…
Saying LyotoMachida‘s arrival to the middleweight division was highly anticipated is putting it mildly.
The former light heavyweight champion is undoubtedly one of the most difficult puzzles to solve in mixed martial arts as he’s continuously proven to be one of the most pressing stylistic matchups imaginable inside the cage.
Yet, despite his elite level status at 205 pounds, the 35-year-old Brazilian had hit a wall of sorts where titles are concerned in the UFC’s crown jewel division. Where his unpredictable striking and rangy attack once forced the opposition to become impatient and make costly the errors, suddenly the fighters he squared-off with inside the Octagon began to follow somewhat of a blueprint on how to defeat him.
While Machida‘s patience is an attribute that has led to tremendous success, that particular strength has become the most effective weapon to use against him. Instead of fighters charging him in an effort to close the unique amount of distance he’d created, now, the opposition were picking their moments and seemingly more than content to put their fate in the hands of the judge’s scorecards.
This led to several setbacks in razor-close fights, and those circumstances forced Machida to exit the weight class he once championed in order to find a new home and a new title race to get after. As a lifelong student of martial arts, Machida doesn’t fight for fame or notoriety. He competes to become a champion, and with his title hopes ice cold on the light heavyweight radar, the “Machida Karate” master set his sights on joining the middleweight ranks.
Before he even stepped foot into the cage at 185 pounds, the potential for Machida to become a major player in the division was high. But after his knockout victory over Mark Munoz on Saturday at Fight Night 30, “The Dragon” went from being a fighter surrounded by a reinvigorated sense of expectation to a bona fide title contender.
And things only become more interesting from there. The middleweight collective had long been stagnant, which had just as much to do with pound-for-pound king Anderson Silva‘s dominance as it did with a general lack of depth in the upper-tier of the weight class. That said, the division has caught fire over the past 14 months as a talented batch of would-be contenders have risen and a new champion has been crowned in young upstart Chris Weidman.
The action in the middleweight upper-tier has never been hotter, and with Machida throwing his hat in the proverbial ring, the race will only get more intense heading into 2014.
A Pair of Rematches Will Impact the Road Ahead for Middleweight Title
Before there can be any real talk about who will get the next title shot at 185 pounds, the highly anticipated rematch between Anderson Silva and Chris Weidman will have to play out. With the Long Island native pulling off one of the biggest upsets in MMA history at UFC 162, the buzz surrounding their second meeting is at an all-time high. They will step into the Octagon at UFC 168 on Dec. 28 with more on the line than just the middleweight title.
Weidman will be looking to prove defeating Silva in the first bout was no fluke and was more than just the result of the over-confident champion’s arrogance biting him in the backside. The Ray Longo-trained fighter was confident that he had the tools necessary to dethrone Silva leading into their first tussle in Las Vegas, and he validated that notion by knocking out the pound-for-pound great in highlight reel fashion on July 6.
Heading into the second fight and having already leveled the longest reigning champion in UFC history, Weidman will enter the cage at the MGM with even more fire than he showed the first time around. Another victory over Silva legitimizes his hand being raised in the first fight and officially stamps his place as the new king of the middleweight division.
On the other hand, should Silva defeat Weidman in the rematch, a “rubber match” is all but a given. If Silva returns the favor and bests the 29-year-old New York-based fighter, it would be difficult to imagine the UFC not making the third fight. If that turns out to be the case, movement in the title tier of the division will be stalled well into 2014, which would create some interesting options where the major players are concerned, the most notable of which being VitorBelfort.
“The Phenom” has been on a tear since returning to 185 pounds and has his sights firmly locked on earning another championship opportunity. The 35-year-old former light heavyweight champion has defeated Michael Bisping and former Strikeforce champion Luke Rockhold respectively since returning to the weight class and has done so in brutal fashion.
He salted “The Count” with a head kick at UFC on FX 7 in January then used a spinning wheel kick to flatten Rockhold four months later at UFC on FX 8. Following his victory over the AKA fighter, Belfort‘s campaign for a title shot intensified, but with Weidman defeating Silva and “The Spider” being granted an immediate rematch, the momentum on his bid for a chance to fight for the middleweight title slowed for the time being.
This scenario resulted in the former title challenger taking a fight with former two-divisional Pride champion Dan Henderson. The two heavy-handed knockout artists will square off at Fight Night 32 on Nov. 9 in a rematch seven years in the making. They first met at Pride 32 back in 2006 with “Hendo” winning the bout via unanimous decision.
Despite their rematch taking place at the 205-pound weight limit, a victory for Belfort will keep his stock high and make him a likely candidate to receive the next title shot at 185 pounds. On the other hand, should Henderson once again defeat the Team Blackzilians fighter, the odds of him being reshuffled to the back of the line of potential contenders in the middleweight division are high as well.
Several Variables Could Become Major Players as Well
In addition to the high-profile rematches set to go down in the next two months, there are several variables that could also play a major role in determining how the title picture shapes up at 185 pounds. With Machida solidifying his place in the divisional hierarchy, there are a handful of fighters who are looking to do the same.
Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza has been on a tear since coming over from Strikeforce early this year. “The Alligator” has cut like a buzzsaw through the first two fighters he’s faced under the UFC banner as he made short work of Chris Camozzi at UFC on FX 8 back in May, then upped the ante in grand fashion by dismantling perennial contender YushinOkami in his following outing at Fight Night 28 in September.
Simply defeating “Thunder” is enough to make a case for title contention, but the manner in which he steamrolled the Japanese fighter cemented his status on the middleweight title radar. While “The Alligator” has always been a nightmare when the action hits the canvas, his recent performances have shown a drastic improvement in his striking skills as the 33-year-old Brazilian has used power and precision to cut through the opposition.
Since 2009, Souza has found victory in eight of his nine showings, with his only setback coming against Rockhold under the Strikeforce banner. Following his loss to the Santa Cruz native, Souza has collected five consecutive wins and has looked more impressive with each showing inside the cage.
Another potential contender who needs to be considered in the hunt is Michael Bisping. While the brash Brit hasn’t put together the type of winning streak Souza has enjoyed, his status as a stable in the upper-tier of the middleweight division is undeniable.
All signs pointed to the former TUF winner earning his long-awaited title shot if he could get past Belfort at UFC on FX 8, but things wouldn’t turn out in his favor as he suffered a knockout defeat in the second round of their tilt in January. The 34-year-old would ultimately bounce back in his next outing against Alan Belcher at UFC 159 in April, but his performance in the fight wasn’t impressive enough to catapult him to the front of the line.
With that in mind, the California-transplant accepted a bout with Mark Munoz at Fight Night 30 in Manchester, England. The bout was figured to put Bisping within striking distance of a title shot if he could defeat Munoz, but in an unfortunate turn, he suffered an eye injury in preparation for the bout and was forced to withdraw. Machida was tapped to take his place, and the rest is history.
While the road to title contention is still open for Bisping, it will take a bit of work to get there. He will most likely have to face either Souza or Machida to solidify his spot, and if neither of those fights are made, there is another player in the title picture that would also present a difficult challenge in GegardMousasi.
“The Armenian Assassin” will be returning from injury in 2014 and has his sights set on making a run at the middleweight title. The 28-year-old made his long-awaited UFC debut back in April at UFC on Fuel TV 9 when he defeated last-minute replacement IlirLatifi in Stockholm, Sweden. He was originally slated to face Alexander Gustafsson in the tilt, but “The Mauler” suffered a cut a week out from the fight and was forced to withdraw.
Mousasi‘s UFC debut was made at light heavyweight, but immediately following the bout, he announced a drop down to the middleweight division. He has competed in multiple weight classes throughout his professional MMA career but hasn’t competed at 185 pounds since 2008 when he defeated Souza via knockout to win the Dream Middleweight Grand Prix and became the inaugural Dream middleweight champion.
With the title race in the middleweight division heating up, Mousasi will be an interesting addition. He has one of the most versatile striking arsenals in the game and could prove to be a legitimate threat to any fighter in the 185-pound collective.
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report.
It brought a beautiful and cathartic close to a strange night of fights. As Lyoto Machida’s left shin swept through Mark Munoz’s ever-so-slightly lowered right arm, the mood of the crowd was washed clean.
English crowds are vocal. They are like t…
It brought a beautiful and cathartic close to a strange night of fights. As LyotoMachida‘s left shin swept through Mark Munoz’s ever-so-slightly lowered right arm, the mood of the crowd was washed clean.
English crowds are vocal. They are like that friend you have who is too blunt to ever be introduced to your family, but who is so brutally honest that you could never distrust them. If a fight stinks, the British crowd will let you know about it.
I was cage side for UFC Fight Night 30: Machida vs. Munoz, and the night had delivered some cracking moments in its early going. Earlier in the evening, Cole Miller had hit the Roleta sweep on Andy Ogle, John Lineker had delivered a good knockout with body shots, and crowd favorite Stormin’ Norman Parke had won a convincing but competitive victory over Jon Tuck.
Luke Barnatt had even picked up an impressive submission victory in which he made two attempts at a Mark Hunt style walkaway knockout, both of which left his opponent conscious enough to make a grab at him. The shouts of “What’re you doin‘, ya f**kin’ spaz?!” from his fans were a laugh.
The mood heading into the main event, however, had soured.
Sexton vs. Andrade
On the undercard, the crowd had endured perhaps the worst unanswered beating in WMMA since Jan Finney was decimated by Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos. Jessica Andrade simply brutalized Rosi Sexton on the feet.
It hurt as a fan because Sexton is such an endearing character and her doing so much for women’s MMA, particularly in England. It was more upsetting because of her clear will to continue in the face of such a drubbing. But what hurt the most was the clear ineptitude of the referee and the lack of responsibility from Sexton’s corner.
Sexton was actually landing counter blows as Andrade came in, swinging wild. In fact Andrade was proving pretty predictable in leaning straight back in defense each time. The problem was that Sexton had not had her legs under her since the opening minute and showed none of the power that would be needed to turn a fight around.
It is the duty of the referee to protect the fighter. That is also the duty of the fighter’s corner, but the corner will normally allow themselves to get caught up in the fight. They feel for their fighter, and they can kid themselves that their fighter can land a big punch down the line and pick up the comeback of the year.
It is the referee’s job to prevent the fight from getting that far when the fighter is clearly taking so much damage.
Frankly, referees need to learn that it is completely justifiable to stop an MMA fight while a fighter is still standing. Sexton showed no ability to get away from the punches and was on wobbly legs for much of the bout. Even if she had pulled off a last second knockout, it would not have been worth the damage that the referee and her corner allowed her to go through.
This was not the fight to show your friends if you want to get them in to the MMA scene.
Manuwa vs. Jimmo
JimmiManuwa and Ryan Jimmo slowed the show down in their bout. Both are gifted fighters, but both repeatedly swung into clinches in which all they were willing or able to do was hold on. It was less a battle of pummeling for position than it was a case of refusing to budge grips until the referee confirmed that it was safe to.
Jimmo attempted to use the karate game popularized by Machida out in the open, bouncing and retreating before stepping in to meet his pursuer with a hard strike. But more often than not, he did little and ended up back in the clinch.
The fight was brought to an abrupt end through a literal misstep by Ryan Jimmo. Jimmo injured himself and was unable to continue, leaving the crowd underwhelmed. Both men are great fighters, but stylistically it is probably worth avoiding a rematch in terms of entertainment value.
Parke vs. Tuck and Lineker vs. Harris
Of course there were also plenty of enjoyable fights on the card. Cole Miller’s bout with Andy Ogle was stellar. John Tuck and Norman Parke also provided a good scrap which illustrated a couple of good principles which we are always discussing.
This was vintage puncher vs. kicker stuff. Tuck looked to land long kicks against Parke from the outside. Through the first round this looked to be working decently, but Parke’s commitment to keep backing Tuck up worked a treat.
It is exhausting to keep backing up and moving and kicking. The classic example is of FedorEmelianenko versus Mirko Filipovic, but there have been plenty of fights to illustrate the point.
Both fighters were looking for their rear hand all fight as they attempted to rock away or slip and come back with their own.
The main factor which was absent from Parke’s still developing game was a good right-handed strike. Tuck was looking outclassed by round three, but survived because he circled away from Parke’s left hand. If Parke could find a good right hook on Tuck he could have held Tuck in place for the left.
It is not necessary to have a hugely powerful right hook or right low kick, but something to form a barrier and hold the opponent in place as he attempts to circle away from the left hand.
In fact Parke’s wheel kick, probably thrown for the fun of it, actually came dangerously close to a good connection because of Tuck’s constant movement to Parke’s right side.
John Lineker demonstrated this cutting off of the cage with punches when he picked up an easy knockout earlier in the night because his opponent, Phil Harris, was circling exclusively into Lineker‘s right hand. The long, telegraphed right hook to the body looked to be an obvious set up, and I was fully expecting Lineker to catch his man with a left hook as he returned to his upright stance.
What happened instead was that Harris refused to move to Lineker‘s left. In avoiding Lineker‘s highly touted left hand, Harris stood and took the right hands that Lineker was trying to convince him to move away from.
Pearson vs. Guillard
The final bizarre let down of the night was Ross Pearson versus Melvin Guillard. Pearson showed his usual great head movement (some of the best in MMA), while Guillard showed his usual speed and offense. Unfortunately, an illegal knee caused a cut which had the fight deemed a no contest.
By this point the crowd were getting pretty annoyed.
Machida vs. Munoz
Machida‘s bout was something remarkable though. The crowd had been vocal through any moment of inactivity in the past two hours of fights (“stand ’em up!” when Cole Miller had Andy Ogle’s back). Yet two minutes into the Machida vs. Munoz bout, an eerie hush was taking over the crowd.
Machida did much less backpedaling than usual and didn’t seem to want to draw Munoz onto his left straight. Instead, Machida took the centre of the octagon and used his feints to keep Munoz guessing.
Machida threw three meaningful strikes in the entire contest: two middle kicks and a high kick.
This fight illustrated two great points.
The first is that it is not enough to use the wrist or glove to block a powerful kick in mixed martial arts. Gloves are too small and the closer to the end of the arm you take a kick, the less stable the block is, turning moments into action.
The second point was that U.K. MMA fans are a committed and educated bunch. For all the terrible Tapout t-shirts on display and the booing of anyone who was fighting against a U.K. fighter, the Manchester crowd sat in a quiet anticipation as LyotoMachida, a Brazilian, feinted and moved for three minutes without a meaningful connection.
They were rewarded with the knockout of the night, and the misfortune of the co-main event was almost forgotten.
(Machida enjoys a post-victory meal with friend/Fight Night 30 opponent Mark Munoz, who really wishes someone would answer that damn phone. Via Machida’s instagram.)
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(Machida enjoys a post-victory meal with friend/Fight Night 30 opponent Mark Munoz, who really wishes someone would answer that damn phone. Via Machida’s instagram.)
Lyoto Machida made his middleweight debut at UFC Fight Night 30 in Manchester, England on Saturday. And to say that his 185-lb debut was a success might be an understatement.
He defeated No. 5-ranked Mark Munoz in the first round by knockout.
After rip…
Lyoto Machida made his middleweight debut at UFC Fight Night 30 in Manchester, England on Saturday. And to say that his 185-lb debut was a success might be an understatement.
He defeated No. 5-ranked Mark Munoz in the first round by knockout.
After ripping kick after kick to the body of Munoz, Machida set up a high kick perfectly. Munoz folded to the mat, and Machida showed restraint in not following up with any more punishment. It was a statement victory for the Brazilian who came in as the No. 6-ranked light heavyweight.
Now the question is: Who is next? While one may think Machida has a lot of options, that is not the case. Two of the highly ranked fighters in the division are friends whom he is unlikely to fight: Anderson Silva and Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza.
With those two out of the question, here are the three best options for Machida’s next opponent.
Chris Weidman
This is the least likely option, but if Weidman retains the UFC Middleweight Championship, Machida deserves consideration at being the next title contender.
This is the promotion business. Machida is one of the biggest names in the division now, and with Silva being a friend and training partner, that adds an extra layer to this potential fight. It is a marketable encounter for the championship.
Potential title contender Vitor Belfort may not like this suggestion, but it is a realistic option for the UFC.
A lot will depend on Belfort’s next fight and the result of UFC 168’s main event. The chips need to fall correctly for this fight to become a reality.
Bisping was supposed to be in the main event of UFC Fight Night 30, but an eye injury forced him off the card. When he returns, “The Count” will be right back in the thick of the division. That makes Machida a great opponent for the Brit.
If these two can meet in early 2014, the winner can leap to the forefront of the division for the next title shot. That is what both men want.
Bisping vs. Machida could headline a UFC Fight Night or Fox card or be a quality co-main event to a pay-per-view. It is an enticing option on the table.
Trying to find a suitable high-level opponent for Machida will be difficult thanks to his affiliations. Bisping doesn’t share those, and that makes him a simple, easy solution.
Gegard Mousasi
At one point, Mousasi was one of the very best middleweights in the world. However, he decided to move up to try his hand at light heavyweight. Despite his success, he is looking to drop down to 185 again to make a statement.
An added bonus is that he has already called out Machida following UFC Fight Night 30.
If Mousasi wants this fight, I see no reason why it shouldn’t be the No. 1 option for the UFC. Two high-level former light heavyweights looking to make noise at middleweight will make for an interesting matchup between two cerebral fighters.
By calling out Machida, Mousasi appears to be in no rush to get back inside the cage. If he is willing to sit on the shelf for a few extra months, then the UFC should sign the fight. As the promotion looks for more European events in 2014, this is a solid fight to help bolster an overseas card.
Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida is horrifyingly good, but he does not deserve a middleweight title shot just yet.
At UFC Fight Night 30, Machida needed just three minutes to send Mark Munoz to an early slumber upon the Octagon’s canvas with a perfectl…
Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida is horrifyingly good, but he does not deserve a middleweight title shot just yet.
At UFC Fight Night 30, Machida needed just three minutes to send Mark Munoz to an early slumber upon the Octagon’s canvas with a perfectly placed head kick.
The first-round finish was impressive, and it showed that Machida’s decision to drop to 185 pounds was wise. He did not seem to suffer any ill effects from the weight cut, and his overall skill set is just as devastating at middleweight as it was at light heavyweight.
After defeating Munoz, the No. 5-ranked middleweight according to UFC.com, The Dragon deserves a step up in competition in his next outing. A title shot is easily justified, but some divisional leapfrogging would ensue, and divisional leapfrogging is bad, OK?
Right now, Machida’s official position in the middleweight division is unclear.
A top-five ranking is certain, but is he No. 5? No. 4? Perhaps he’s as high as No. 2, just outside the top challenger, Anderson Silva.
Who knows?
What I do know is that the other undisputed inhabitants of this top five, Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza and Vitor Belfort, each deserve the next crack at the middleweight title after Silva more than Machida.
Why?
They have proven themselves in the division. Both men have finished their last two opponents inside the Octagon, with Belfort knocking out Michael Bisping and Luke Rockhold, and Souza submitting Chris Camozzi and knocking out Yushin Okami.
Either one of these resumes is more impressive than a knockout over Mark Munoz, a loss to Phil Davis and a lackluster win over Dan Henderson.
Let’s not forget, Munoz had been knocked out from a head kick before—from Matt Hamill, no less—so it’s not like “The Filipino Wrecking Machine” was some insurmountable foe inside the Octagon. Against Souza or Belfort, Munoz would come in as the underdog, and I wholeheartedly believe he would lose each of those fights in similarly devastating fashion.
Jacare would tool him on the ground, and Belfort would knock him out in similar style.
Personally, I rank Munoz below Bisping, Rockhold and Okami and above Camozzi when comparing the top dogs’ recent hit lists.
Machida’s victory was impressive, but if Souza’s and Belfort’s successes did not earn them title shots, The Dragon’s win should not, either.
He is “fresh” and “intriguing,” but these qualifiers do not warrant a title shot.
Machida could very well defeat either Weidman or Silva—realistically, he can beat anybody in the world at 185 or 205—but the fact remains that two men have done more inside the middleweight division recently.
Instead of a championship fight, Machida needs to fight either Souza, Bisping or Belfort (if he defeats Dan Henderson at UFC Fight Night 32).
The winner of that fight, then, will have a real, legitimate claim for a title shot.
Until then, The Dragon must rest. He still has work to do.
Saying 