*Spoilers* UFC 104: Lyoto Machida Vs. Mauricio Rua - Oct, 24, 2009

**pLackR.brizzL** · Posted On: 10/09/2009 2:27am

Machida has this **** on lock..He's going to win AGAIN as he's undefeated...He's also SHOTOKAN..

**UpaLumpa** · Posted On: 10/21/2009 2:12pm

Originally Posted by Kintanon

Actually yes, it is because we understand what makes a good fighter and that's what we like to see more than two retards bludgeoning each other.

I don't particularly care for Machida. His last two fights don't make up for a general inclination to avoid pressing the fight. This has nothing to do with wanting to see a brawl, it is exactly like PBF. I can respect the result but not really care to watch it.

Originally Posted by ArrogantBastard

He has a black belt in BJJ.

But please continue making stupid statements.

And Shogun is still better on the ground.

Machida will in all likelihood win this fight, but before announcing him a dominant champ how about he defends the belt at least once?

Also, I'm actually looking forward to Bader fighting. His win against Gouviea counted a lot to me, particularly considering that he destroyed his knee in the first round.

**tao.jonez** · Posted On: 10/21/2009 2:24pm

I've never seen Machida grapple. What are some fights where he's been on the ground for significant time?

For myself I am kind of excited about Fischer / Stevenson. Not that either is a champion level fighter, I just like both guys. Plus they actually seem to be evolving and growing as fighters.

**Hesperus** · Posted On: 10/21/2009 2:30pm

He arm triangled Sokoudjou and front crucifix'd Tito Ortiz right off a takedown.

**UpaLumpa** · Posted On: 10/21/2009 2:35pm

Originally Posted by Hesperus

He arm triangled Sokoudjou

That was nicely done, as I recall he stunned and dropped him and then finished with the choke.

Then again, who hasn't armtriangled Sok lately?

**Fighting Cephalopod** · Posted On: 10/21/2009 3:01pm

Machida is a black belt under De La Riva, but "black belt" encompasses a wide range of performance in MMA, from Nogueira and BJ all the way down to Jorge Gurgel and Conan Silveira.

Shogun has underrated wrestling and an excellent ground game, so he'd be a good test for Machida on the ground. Unfortunately he's apparently planning on standing up and looking for a knockout, so I expect him to get picked apart and dropped.

Aside from climbing all over Sam Greco in one of his early fights, Machida's never spent a significant amount of time on the ground outside of Sokoudjou, whose ground game is a big question mark anyway. It's apparent that Lyoto's BJJ is good, but how good is difficult to say.

Ultimately the clinch is the only place Machida has really looked mortal - Sokoudjou took him down from the clinch, and Nakamura both took him down from the clinch and also landed several elbows from the clinch standing that came as close to having Lyoto looking hurt as anything we've seen him.

I don't think there's really anyone at LHW who has the kind of technical clinching skills to take advantage of Lyoto in that area, though. Randy would have been an intriguing style matchup, but at this point I think he's too old, slow, and beat up.

**selfcritical** · Posted On: 10/21/2009 3:03pm

YouTube - PSL, 'LA Sub X', Lyoto Machida vs Rafael Lovato Jr

The person he's rolling with here won the mundials.

**tao.jonez** · Posted On: 10/21/2009 3:12pm

Wow - a Ribiero student if I am not mistaken. Damnz. I'll have to try and find the full video. Presumably Machida won on points?

I didn't know Machida had his black belt under De La Riva. That says a lot right there.

**selfcritical** · Posted On: 10/21/2009 3:16pm

Originally Posted by tao.jonez

Wow - a Ribiero student if I am not mistaken. Damnz. I'll have to try and find the full video. Presumably Machida won on points?

I didn't know Machida had his black belt under De La Riva. That says a lot right there.

Yes. He has excellent posture and top control.

**Fighting Cephalopod** · Posted On: 10/21/2009 3:55pm

Originally Posted by selfcritical

YouTube - PSL, 'LA Sub X', Lyoto Machida vs Rafael Lovato Jr

The person he's rolling with here won the mundials.

Lovato Jr is also a weight class below him and Machida basically stalled him out.

Anyway like I said Machida is obviously very good on the ground in MMA, but it's hard to say exactly how good, and winning on takedown points in a grappling-only match doesn't really provide much directly applicable to judging that.