Evans to face Machida at UFC 98 spoiler alert

ollieo

Wanderlei is moving to MW thats why the Franklin fight is catchweight 195lbs
so I don't see him fighting Machida any time soon.

t-ha

cowzerp wrote: »

Rampage is not that sloppy and is strong and a good wrestler,

I actually said his boxing was tidy, but he won't be able to stay in the pocket with Machida. He rarely kicks or wrestles anymore, but I do think that wrestling is his best chance.

cowzerp wrote: »

wanderlei can clinch and finish fighters in the clinch

from what I've seen of Machida to date he's pretty comfortable in clinch range, is much taller than Wandy + he's mates with A.Silva so I'm sure he knows how to get out of a clinch. Anyway, Wandy has pretty much confirmed this himself that when he fights he's gonna keep just swinging those wilds hooks to entertain the fans.

cowzerp wrote: »

forest can box a bit and has great wrestling

Forest has a reasonable chance because of his length, kicks and wrestling, but I still think he leaves holes in his striking and wouldn't be favourite there?

cowzerp wrote: »

Hendo has serious ko power and wrestling ability.

KO power means nothing if you don't hit the target and Hendo wouldn't imo. Again I'd give him a shot based on his wrestling and being able to take a hit, but not his striking.

cowzerp wrote: »

Shogun could match his striking and groundwork potentially

I haven't been bowled over by his UFC performances. Against Lidell was a huge improvement but it was still untidy striking, low gaurd etc. Obviously only a top class striker would be able to take advantage, but that's what we're dealing with here.

cowzerp wrote: »

All would offer genuine challenges to Machida.

I'm not sayin' they couldn't win. But in a hypothetical best out of 10 scenario I'd give it to Machida at least 7/8 times against any of them.

Kazooie

As much as I like Machida the hype that's building up around him is a little OTT. Every second thread on Sherdog is asking who in Gods name could beat him. :eek:
I've believed the hype before and been let down: (Cro Cop, Shogun, Arlovski).

Worst thing he can start doing is believing he's unbeatable. He seems like a dedicated humble fella so I think he will train even harder and get even better. His speech afterwords shows it means a lot and he'll try to imrove every fight and hold that belt for as long as he can.

Yes I do believe he's that good but I'd like to see him go on a title run before comparing him to Fedor etc....

I guess this happens the days after an event with such a performance though.

Hats off to Rashad for being gracious in defeat as well.

Jason Mc

Yeah he is one helluva tidy fighter

Chuck and wandy were always a bit too reckless IMO, I always rated Shogun a much more technical fighter than both of them

Rashad should really have worked harder to get the takedown but hindsight is a wonderful thing

One thing is for sure. The standard of fighter is definately improving.

And thank god for all of us the days of wrestlers like matt and tito just grinding out a boring lay and pray seem to be over

OPPS MATT JUST DID IT AGAIN

Maynard

I think the demise of Rampage's wrestling is a little hasty here. He hasn't had to use it terribly much of late, largely because he was busy knocking people out/down. His wrestling looked just fine to me when he out-wrestled Henderson at Champion vs Champion in London. So to say that Hendo's wrestling would be a challenge for Machida, but Rampage's wouldn't is a little off the mark IMO.
Plus Rampage's head is made of granite.

Professey Chin

Jason Mc wrote: »

And thank god for all of us the days of wrestlers like matt and tito just grinding out a boring lay and pray seem to be over

OPPS MATT JUST DID IT AGAIN

Can someone tell me where this opinion of Tito being boring and a lay & pray fighter came out of?
Ive watched everyone of his fights and he uses his wrestling well to get someone down but he not only controls them, he has a vicious ground & pound even from inside the guard.He's finished the majority of his fights too.Even his decisions are good fights usually. Or am I just going mad:pac:

Fromvert

Yeah Tito has got an awful lot of unwarranted stick over the last few years. He was great in his prime and nobody would like to have Tito on top of them.

Jason Mc

Watch his fight with wandy

Jason Mc

Fromvert wrote: »

and nobody would like to have Tito on top of them.

Roper would like that

Seifer

t-ha wrote: »

I think you're all crazy - Machida will own that belt for a while.
1] His timing and accuracy are amazing.'Pressure' is not the answer to anything except getting yourself knocked out faster. I would predict sloppy strikers (Wand,Hendo, Forest etc.) to get knocked out.
2] Machida out-wrestled Tito. Although I agree that wrestling him is a better idea than striking with him I don't think it'll be that easy!
3] Machida is a master of range. This will be the problem for Rampage - he's a tidy boxer but there is no 'pocket' against Lyoto & he won't be able to close the gap on Machida who'll pepper him with shots from the outside.
4] This is Lyoto's life! He's been doing this since he was born & with his Family's name on the line it's hard to think that he would mentally slack off no matter how long he keeps winning?

Anyway, that's what I think - I don't know anyone at LHW (on the UFC roster or otherwsie) that can take him right now.

I'm with t-ha on this.
Rashad showed that if you try to pick him off with counter-attacks, his timing and accuracy are just too good.
The Leites fight showed what happens if you try to run at him.

Professey Chin

Jason Mc wrote: »

Watch his fight with wandy

One fight does not a fighter make

rovert

Kazooie wrote: »

Every second thread on Sherdog is asking who in Gods name could beat him. :eek:

Dont worry those clowns will posting threads asking is Lyoto over rated and who is Lyoto ducking as Champ within the week.

Dragan

Machida is basically the hardest to beat guy in the UFC at the moment. Boiling it down to boring old statistics he's just THAT.

You chances of winning a fight ONLY clock when you can actually make contact with your opponent, so far Machida has proven he is not going to fall into any trap of following your flow of the fight.

I think the best chance anyone has against Machida is a good strong wrestler who is also a good strong striker. I will add to that it need to be a wrestler who has both a very strong shot and a very strong clinch game.

Stick Machida on a fence and start laying into him and he loses his ability to find lines of escape, you can only fight him the way you want to by cutting out his line of retreat. You need to be able to make him fear the shot so he will back up, fear your hands so he will be reticiant to engage, and cut his angles so he can't move off to the side.

It's a lot to ask in fairness.

rovert

Dragan wrote: »

Machida is basically the hardest to beat guy in the UFC at the moment. Boiling it down to boring old statistics he's just THAT.

You chances of winning a fight ONLY clock when you can actually make contact with your opponent, so far Machida has proven he is not going to fall into any trap of following your flow of the fight.

I think the best chance anyone has against Machida is a good strong wrestler who is also a good strong striker. I will add to that it need to be a wrestler who has both a very strong shot and a very strong clinch game.

Stick Machida on a fence and start laying into him and he loses his ability to find lines of escape, you can only fight him the way you want to by cutting out his line of retreat. You need to be able to make him fear the shot so he will back up, fear your hands so he will be reticiant to engage, and cut his angles so he can't move off to the side.

It's a lot to ask in fairness.

The beauty of Machida is his strategy removes (okay significantly reduces) the "puncher's chance".

DeVore

*cough*

(from Feb) http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=58892823&postcount=18

Machida is an awesome fighter and has shut all those punks who booed him up, thankfully.

DeV.

DeVore

DeVore wrote: »

Machida is an awesome fighter and has shut all those punks who booed him up, thankfully.

DeV.

I have seen alot of JJ heads really take offence to Machida winning . I find this strange.

Killme00

Deleted User wrote: »

I have seen alot of JJ heads really take offence to Machida winning . I find this strange.

Where? not here!

cowzerp

Deleted User wrote: »

I have seen alot of JJ heads really take offence to Machida winning . I find this strange.

Not here, but he's a BJJ black belt anyway..

Killme00

Has there ever been a predominantly Jitz LHW champion, i can only remember strikers.

O'Leprosy

No one put it better than Joe Rogan " Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the Machida era "

Professey Chin

Killme00 wrote: »

Has there ever been a predominantly Jitz LHW champion, i can only remember strikers.

Ehhh....Frank, Tito, Randy, Chuck, Rampage, Forrest, Rashad, Lyoto. Nope think thats it

EDIT: Forgot Vitor

Nothingcompares

Deleted User wrote: »

I have seen alot of JJ heads really take offence to Machida winning . I find this strange.

What are you talking about? Sherdog?

I don't like Machida for the same reasons I don't like Royce Gracie. He's smug in victory and all about family lineage.

rovert

Nothingcompares wrote: »

I don't like Machida for the same reasons I don't like Royce Gracie. He's smug in victory and all about family lineage.

Lyoto is far, far less overbearing in that.

The Sparrow

Ultimate Chin wrote: »

Ehhh....Frank, Tito, Randy, Chuck, Rampage, Forrest, Rashad, Lyoto. Nope think thats it

EDIT: Forgot Vitor

I wouldn't call any of those guys predominantly Jiu-Jitsu fighters tbh.

Lyoto put in a performance and he certainly lived up to the hype and my own expectations. Of course everyone has a chance in a fight but I would have Machida as a heavy favourite against everybody else in the UFC LHW division. I do hope that he goes on a bit of a run with the belt.

cowzerp

woooo232 wrote: »

I wouldn't call any of those guys predominantly Jiu-Jitsu fighters tbh.

Most of these are wrestlers or sub wrestling guys!
lyoto is bjj and striking and so is Vitor. and both there main strenghts are striking.

Jason Mc

machida doesn't look so slick when inside the pocket but it is just very hard to get him there

He regains his composure at the clinch though

I don't think he is unstoppable but he is defo one hell of a good fighter


I'm glad to see the strikers come back into more. But it has to be said that you need a complete game. Good footwork, timing and clever angles seems to be the key words here and you don't learn them in grappling classes.

The plot thickens

Professey Chin

woooo232 wrote: »

I wouldn't call any of those guys predominantly Jiu-Jitsu fighters tbh.

Lyoto put in a performance and he certainly lived up to the hype and my own expectations. Of course everyone has a chance in a fight but I would have Machida as a heavy favourite against everybody else in the UFC LHW division. I do hope that he goes on a bit of a run with the belt.

I know. Was just going through the champions out loud............is typing out loud the same thing

MMAgic

Machida is a beast, plain and simple!

chopperbyrne

Did anyone see the Nover V Bradley fight?

Yves Lavigne getting booed again. Although he was acting with the fighters safety in mind this time.

ginoginelli

Nothingcompares wrote: »

What are you talking about? Sherdog?

I don't like Machida for the same reasons I don't like Royce Gracie. He's smug in victory and all about family lineage.

Not sure where your getting that from..

Anytime I have seen Machida he has been very respectful of his opponents and humble in victories. He's not even particuarly vocal about his family lineage either