Tag: UFC 140

UFC 140: Why Rashad Evans Deserves to Fight the Jones-Machida Winner

So far, 2011 has been a tough year for the former UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans. With the news that Lyoto Machida will be getting the next title shot at Jon Jones at UFC 140, it just got worse. Some would say that Rashad Evans has done th…

So far, 2011 has been a tough year for the former UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans. With the news that Lyoto Machida will be getting the next title shot at Jon Jones at UFC 140, it just got worse.

Some would say that Rashad Evans has done this to himself with his desire to sit out last year and wait for his title shot instead of competing and staying active, but no matter your personal opinion on that matter, Rashad Evans does deserve the next shot at the title after Machida.

Rashad Evans brought an undefeated 13-0-1 professional record into his UFC 98 fight with Lyoto Machida. The UFC light heavyweight champion was riding one of the most impressive streaks we had ever seen in the sport, and it looked as if he had a good chance of being the Anderson Silva or Georges St-Pierre of his division, dominating it for years.

The whole fantasy came to a crashing halt, however, when Evans was violently knocked out by Machida in the second round of their fight, continuing his own undefeated record while ending Evans’ in the process.

At the time, it looked as if the destructive loss had the potential to be a career-halting defeat for a fighter. We’ve seen that kind of thing happen so many times in the past. A talented young fighter comes into some great success then suffers a humiliating loss that affects him for the rest of his career.

Rashad didn’t let that happen.

After coaching against Rampage Jackson on The Ultimate Fighter: The Heavyweights, Evans would step back into the cage in January 2010 when he defeated one of the top up-and-coming light heavyweights in the sport, Thiago Silva.

The win was impressive, but it wasn’t until he finally got to fight Rampage Jackson at UFC 114 that we really got the feeling that the former champion was “back.” Evans dominated Jackson throughout most of the fight while also escaping a near knockout in the third round, but won his second-straight decision over a consensus top-10 opponent.

A victory over Rampage earned Evans the spot of No. 1 contender in the light heavyweight division for the second time in his career. He was ready to fight champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, but the champion suffered a knee injury in his victory over Machida. The knee injury required surgery and would keep him out of action until early 2011.

Rather than get back in the cage and fight again, Evans opted to hold out for Shogun to get healthy again. Unfortunately, Evans then suffered an injury of his own which knocked him out of their eventually-scheduled bout at UFC 128.

As we all know now, Jon Jones replaced Evans in that title fight and became the new champion while Evans found himself in a make-shift fight against Tito Ortiz. The victory over Ortiz had Evans penciled in again as the No. 1 contender, but an injured thumb has once again knocked him out of that position.

At this point, it’s difficult not to feel bad for “Suga,” as this long streak of bad luck just continues to haunt him. Still, even given the bad luck, injuries and questionable decision-making, it’s hard to argue that Rashad is still by far the best candidate to fight for the title next.

No matter who ends up leaving UFC 140 with the title, there is an interesting story for a fight with Evans. If Machida wins, a rematch with Evans only makes sense, this time with Machida defending and Evans challenging. But if Jones wins, the long-brewing feud between the former teammates could make for one of the most anticipated fights of 2012.

Either way, we win.

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UFC 140: What Lyoto Machida Must Do to Pull the Upset over Jon Jones

When it comes to hype, nobody does it better than the UFC.From Royce, to Tito, to Hughes, to Chuck, to St. Pierre, to Silva, to Lesnar, it’s been evident from the beginning that the UFC has a recipe for pushing their guys as unbeatable physical spec…

When it comes to hype, nobody does it better than the UFC.

From Royce, to Tito, to Hughes, to Chuck, to St. Pierre, to Silva, to Lesnar, it’s been evident from the beginning that the UFC has a recipe for pushing their guys as unbeatable physical specimens.

The latest example? None other than reigning and defending 205-pound champion Jon Jones. Jones burst onto the MMA scene at UFC 87 against Andre Gusmao and hasn’t looked back.

Showing new skills, new techniques and an improved overall game every time out, Jones has built a record of 14-1 (7-1 UFC), with the lone loss being the infamous disqualification loss to Matt Hamill at the TUF: Heavyweights finale.

From throwing Stephan Bonnar around like a rag doll to bringing unprecedented violence to Brandon Vera’s face, onlookers knew early that Jones was something special.

The prophecy came to fruition at UFC 128, when a vicious TKO stoppage in the Mauricio Rua fight brought Jones to the helm of his sport as the new UFC champion.

At UFC 140, Jones makes his second title defense, this time against former champion Lyoto Machida. Machida is coming in as a heavy underdog (+275) early according to our friends over at betonfighting.com.

But that’s not to say that the upset is impossible. Matt Serra showed the world that when the cage door locks shut, anything is possible.

The real question is, what can Machida do to knock the Jon Jones train off it’s tracks?

 

Movement

Machida has developed a reputation for an unorthodox style, involving loads of movement, odd angles and crisp striking. His hit-and-run style carried him to the top of the division once before, and he’ll need to be at the top of his game for this one.

Navigating the unbelievable reach advantage Jones has over his opponents is no easy task, especially given the angles Jones creates to strike from. With busy footwork, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that Machida can generate a higher work rate, translating to positive scores from judges. 

 

Leg Kicks

The inside leg kick needs to be Machida’s best friend in this fight.  Not only will it help keep the distance, but it’s also a useful technique in slowing down your opponent.

Given Jones’ speed, this needs to be a priority. The inside leg kick also sets up a variety of other kicks, including the crane kick used to knock out Randy Couture in Machida’s last outing.

 

Takedown Defense

Possibly the most important thing for Machida is to keep off his back. Despite his rank of black belt in BJJ, we haven’t seen much of it in his UFC career.

Tito Ortiz gave him trouble from top control at UFC 84 and we’ve all grown familiar with the amount of damage Jones can do from the same positions.

Constant circling, proper use of the wizzer and knees on the shot will be crucial to this, especially given the speed with which Jones shoots.

It will be a tall task for Machida on December 10th, as nobody has so much put Jones in trouble to this point in his career. With this game plan and maybe a little luck, Machida just may be the man for the job. 

 

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UFC 140 Fight Card: 4 Reasons Jon Jones Will Destroy Lyoto Machida

Lyoto Machida finally has an opponent lined up and it will be none other than UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones. UFC president Dana White broke the news today on Twitter, announcing the fight as the main event of UFC 140. Jones recently defended…

Lyoto Machida finally has an opponent lined up and it will be none other than UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones.

UFC president Dana White broke the news today on Twitter, announcing the fight as the main event of UFC 140.

Jones recently defended his title for the first time against Quinton “Rampage” Jackson at UFC 135.

The last time we saw Machida he was retiring Randy Couture with an amazing jumping front kick that KO’d the UFC legend.

Machida will be Jones’ toughest test to date. His style of elusive karate is one of the hardest for fighters to figure out.

Despite this, Jones will find a way to beat Machida. Here are the reasons why.

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Betting on Jon Jones against Lyoto Machida at UFC 140 is a Great Way to Make 100 Bucks…if You Have the 375 to Lay Down…

Source: MMA Mania It was announced today that due to his pesky thumb injury which requires necessary rehab, Rashad Evans was forced to pull out of a title-shot with Jon Jones and thus, Lyoto Machida.

Source: MMA Mania

It was announced today that due to his pesky thumb injury which requires necessary rehab, Rashad Evans was forced to pull out of a title-shot with Jon Jones and thus, Lyoto Machida has stepped in as the new UFC Light Heavyweight champion contender at UFC 140. And with the announcement came the early lines drawn for Jones vs. Machida with oddsmakers  placing Jones as a *reasonable (-375) favorite to Machida as a (+275) long shot. I say reasonable because Jones went as high as a (-700) favorite in his recent fight against Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.

Are the odds pretty good here from a betting stand point? They are if you consider Machida’s last win was against Randy Couture back in April at UFC 129 with a kick that sealed his retirement. But before that he lost to the two opponents Jones beat to earn and retain the UFC Light Heavyweight title (Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. Granted that crane like Karate Kid style kick Machida landed on Couture was an epic moment in UFC history (and apparently we can thank Steven Seagal for it) but considering that Randy was a 47 year old fighter planning for his own retirement,  it’s not really enough to make us open our wallets and lay down the dog money for Machida on this fight with Jones.

If you do plan on betting Jon Jones, you should do it now, as the odds gap is bound to widen, at least nearing a (-500) in Jones’ favor.

Rashad Evans Says ‘It Ain’t No Thang’ That The UFC is Giving Another One of His Title Shots Away to Machida


(“It is what it is…or somethin’ like that.”)

Seemingly perpetual number one UFC light heavyweight contender Rashad Evans took the diplomatic approach today when addressing the news that Lyoto Machida will be leapfrogging him to a shot at the promotion’s current 205-pound champion, Jon Jones at UFC 140 in December. In a statement released by his management group, Authentic Sports Management, Evans explained that that the injured thumb he incurred in his UFC 133 bout with Tito Ortiz back in August will likely require an additional three weeks of rehab before he can resume training, meaning his camp would only be six-and-a-half weeks, leaving him without sufficient time to prepare for such an important bout.

“After my last fight against Tito Ortiz, I dislocated my right thumb, which required it to be set back in place and held with pins. 24 hours ago, my physician removed the pins,” Evans explained. “At that time, I learned that it would require another three weeks of rehabilitation before engaging in any exercise or training that would require the use of my hand.”


(“It is what it is…or somethin’ like that.”)

Seemingly perpetual number one UFC light heavyweight contender Rashad Evans took the diplomatic approach today when addressing the news that Lyoto Machida will be leapfrogging him to a shot at the promotion’s current 205-pound champion, Jon Jones at UFC 140 in December. In a statement released by his management group, Authentic Sports Management, Evans explained that that the injured thumb he incurred in his UFC 133 bout with Tito Ortiz back in August will likely require an additional three weeks of rehab before he can resume training, meaning his camp would only be six-and-a-half weeks, leaving him without sufficient time to prepare for such an important bout.

“After my last fight against Tito Ortiz, I dislocated my right thumb, which required it to be set back in place and held with pins. 24 hours ago, my physician removed the pins,” Evans explained. “At that time, I learned that it would require another three weeks of rehabilitation before engaging in any exercise or training that would require the use of my hand.”

Evans also mentioned that Dana White called him to let him know what his plans were and that he gave the UFC president his blessing.

“Dana White and I spoke earlier today, and I fully understand his decision to put Machida against Jones for the title at UFC 140. Given the rehabilitation time I require for my dislocated thumb, I would not be 100 percent ready by December 10,” Evans said. “The UFC has to keep making fights that entertain the fans. I would have done the same thing as Dana in his position. I’m asking for the fans to support me as I rehabilitate my hand, and I promise I will be back fighting very quickly.”

Knowing Rashad’s luck, the winner of the bout will likely sustain an injury that will sideline him for most of 2012 and Rashad will take a fight with Phil Davis in the meantime and lose.

Lyoto Machida Ready for Jon Jones at UFC 140, Anticipates a "Strategic Bout"

Lyoto Machida will finally get his chance to compete in the Octagon again before the end of the year. After learning of Rashad Evans’ hand injury, UFC President Dana White announced “The Dragon” will step in for the former UFC light heavyweight ch…

Lyoto Machida will finally get his chance to compete in the Octagon again before the end of the year. 

After learning of Rashad Evans’ hand injury, UFC President Dana White announced “The Dragon” will step in for the former UFC light heavyweight champion to face Jon Jones at UFC 140 on December 10 in Toronto. 

While speaking to TATAME.com, Machida said he received information about the potential bout a few days ago and he couldn’t refuse the offer. 

“I accepted immediately, I couldn’t announce it at the time, though,” Machida said. “In the morning I went to give a class and, when I came back, the contract was there for me to sign it. It was a reason for me to be happy, because that’s why we enter these battles for.”

The Brazilian is 2-2 in his last four bouts, and although it isn’t the most impressive record to earn a title shot, Machida was fortunate to be offered the opportunity.

A lot of fans have requested a bout between the two competitors because of the potential challenges that Machida presents to Jones, stylistically. Machida said he has always been aware of Jones’ style, which he compares to his own.

While he admits he hasn’t focused on Jones entirely, partially due to his own preparations for bouts against Randy Couture and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, respectively, Machida said he is completely focused and prepared to compete against the champion. 

“It’ll be a strategic bout, he’s a guy who studies his opponents and so do I,” he said. “Now he’s my opponent, it’s set in stone. From this moment on the study will reinforced, and the dedication too.”

Machida is coming off a knockout victory over Randy Couture at UFC 129, which saw him snap a two-fight losing streak. Meanwhile, Jones will make his second title defense and will be competing in his fourth bout this year.

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