The Unsupportable Opinion: Rashad Evans vs. Lyoto Machida Is The UFC's Best Title Fight in Nearly a Year
(Ready to make some magic, gentlemen?)
Right off I’ll admit it: there isn’t anything glamorous about the Rashad Evans-Lyoto Machida title fight at UFC 98 this weekend. A champion who until recently was known for his split decision victories facing off against a challenger known for being so “elusive” that his fights often resemble a ballet more than a brawl – that’s not anyone’s dream bout, least of all a promoter's.
But what this fight lacks in star power and fireworks, it makes up for with sheer, good old-fashioned quality. In many ways Evans-Machida is the best, most legitimate title fight the UFC has put on in nearly a year. Here’s why:
1. Strength of Record
Between the two competitors in Saturday night’s main event there are 27 wins, 1 draw and no defeats. In boxing that wouldn’t be so impressive, but in MMA it’s as rare as a decent Michael Bay movie. There’s an easy appeal involved in seeing two guys who have never been beaten square off, simply because somebody is going to experience a depressing new low for the first time. It's just a question of whether the crying in the locker room will be in Portuguese or English.
2. An All Too Deserving Challenger
For a while it looked like Machida’s style of fighting (almost) without fighting would make him the best light heavyweight not to get a shot at the UFC belt. If “Rampage” Jackson had been healthy enough to take the Evans fight, Machida would still be getting overlooked. But fortunately for him the UFC can no longer ignore him and really had no choice but to give him a shot. That’s a stark contrast to recent title fights like Couture-Lesnar and Silva-Cote that left many of us wondering exactly what the challenger had done to warrant a title fight. There are no such questions when it comes to Machida. He deserves this. The fact that he’s getting it, regardless of how or why, is almost enough to make you think the UFC’s system of deciding top contenders is completely fair and unbiased. Almost.
3. A Contrast of Styles
Norman Mailer once described two opposing boxers as being so different in the ring that “one could not pass a bowl of soup to the other without spilling it.” So it is with Evans and Machida. Evans is the hard-charging wrestler who relies on controlling the tempo of a fight and on brief spasms of fantastic violence to end them. Machida is the fluid karate master who picks his spots without offering any one devastating attack, but is gone by the time you even consider a counter-attack. At times he seems as if he doesn’t want to hurt his opponents so much as instruct them. Evans, on the other hand, has no problem grabbing his balls and coming right after you. When two fighters are this different you can’t help but want to see what will happen when they’re locked in a cage together. Maybe nothing much. Maybe something that’s new to both of them.
4. Because We’ll Finally Be Able to Shut Up About It
Evans beat Forrest Griffin to take the title, but so what, say his detractors. And Machida has won a bunch of decisions, but he can’t dance around for five rounds against someone who matters. These are both somewhat valid criticisms, but after Saturday night at least one of them will be put to rest, thank God. Either Evans solves the riddle of Machida and proves he’s the true champ, or Machida shows us that he really has figured out something about the fight game that has, shall we say, eluded everyone else. Either way, the debate can finally stop.
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LockDown Says:
First ok?
Perdew Says:
Well said. i think this really is the best possible title fight the ufc could even put on. after this the rampage title contention will also be very quality, but there certainly is not a worthy comparison of a title fight in any other division except maybe maia/silva.
Dapper Says:
The crying in the locker room afterwards will be the Ferttitas after realizing that the UFC just put on 2 consecutive lackluster PPV's and their PPV numbers will be dropping. By the way the Ferttitas casino biz is currently in debt 5 Billion dollars! Perhaps the UFC will need a government bailout after this one!
Art Gibs Says:
When I first heard about this fight I wasn't too thrilled. But, I'm getting more and more excited about it and, after reading articles like this, I really can't wait. Good read.
@ Dapper
Virtually all businesses, including casinos, carry debt. Thus, the amount of debt the Fertitas's casinos have is largely irrelevant. Instead, the important questions are whether their casinos are solvent and whether they can make their debt payments.
Aenarion Says:
This fight is gonna rock. Lyoto knows the last PPV sucked, and so does Rashad. Rashad is going to want to make Lyoto look like a bitch, so I don't think there is going to be any Anderson Silva style prodding for five rounds. There's gonna be blood, for sure. I would personally lose my shit if Lyoto either knocked out or submitted Rashad.
VEe Says:
2 fighter with completely different styles . . . GREAT, PERIOD.
Polish Says:
or Machida shows us that he really has figured out something about the fight game that has, shall we say, eluded everyone else.
- I see what you did there.
If Evans tries a nut grab in this fight though I predict he'll be kicked in his face for his troubles.
IronClad Says:
This fight will be epic and there is a very real possibility that this fight could go the distance.
One Two Says:
I think quintons the real champ, this fight could possibly suck hope it doesn't but i see machida running away sneaking in karate strikes and rashad getting the takedown stuffed maybe landing a punch or two. hope i'm wrong.
Cathedron Says:
Rashad already said he's expecting the crowd to hate it because he's going to wait for Machida like he did to Chuck. Problem is, Machida doesn't get impatient and he keeps picking you apart rather than wait for one big punch. And those small shots will start to add up more and more over the course of the rounds making it harder for Rashad to fight. Five rounds just gives Machida more time to pick Rashad apart and gives him more chances to finish.
I'm predicting this fight will be boring but Rashad will get picked apart up until the end where (hopefully) he will get impatient and get killed. I just don't see how Rashad can win this. Which I've said before. And I've lost alot of money on that bastard. Fuck Rashad. That's all I'm trying to say.
Videodrome_NOW Says:
@ Aenarion
Word. I believe if Machida can obtain the belt and then retain it for sometime, he may very well change the UFC and maybe MMA altogether. First, because what the fuck is someone like Ryan Bader going to do? I think that the "lay and pray" days might begin to dissolve. Granted, Bader knocked out Vinnie in the TUF finale, but as we now see, Vinnie is no longer a part of the UFC for not developing any standup. Secondly, Machida did not come from a wrestling background which goes to show that wrestling is not the best base someone should have for coming into the sport of MMA. I really hope that we begin to see more Martial Arts and not sloppy brawling and poor ground-and-pound from fighters. (Am I the only one who notices that almost no one attempts to pass guard in these PPV's?) Get rid of all the "Jesse Taylors" and bring in true martial artists who can help bring some intelligence and maybe a little integrity to the UFC. Lyoto is the fuckin man, regardless if he drinks his own piss.
ArmFarmer Says:
"Secondly, Machida did not come from a wrestling background which goes to show that wrestling is not the best base someone should have for coming into the sport of MMA."
So one fighter being successful without coming from a wrestling background proves that wrestling isn't the best base style? Do 100% of the fighters in ufc have to have started with wrestling or else it's not that great of a starting point? I don't think so. Stop being bitter towards the wrestlers and making dumbass illogical remarks. Maybe you didn't notice, but Machida's opponent (the champion of the most stacked division) is also undefeated and comes from a wrestling background which goes to show you're a dumbass.
Videodrome_NOW Says:
I'm not bitter towards wrestlers you fucking idiot. I'm bitter towards boring fight and shitty fighters. Did you actually read what I wrote or have you not graduated "Hooked on Phonics" yet? In the past I've actually commented on your comments and how I agree with alot of what you've posted before, but now it's clear you're an uneducated asshole who should hang out with CAPSLOCKHAL.
CJvsCP Says:
Machida might try to get those fast Karate chops in but don't forget Evans is pretty fast himself so I think it's going to be a matter of who gets there fist off fast enough for the point. I got evans by decision! I think he'll score more jab points and maybe a take down or two.
ArmFarmer Says:
"and bring in true martial artists who can help bring some intelligence and maybe a little integrity to the UFC. Lyoto is the fuckin man, regardless if he drinks his own piss."
Uh... calling out wrestlers for not bringing intelligence and integrity into the ufc, and then immediately pointing out that your boy drinks his own urine... not the best way to make your case.
All you're doing is displaying your ignorance. You think because something appears sloppy to an inexperienced, ignorant fan like you that there is no technique or skill involved. Go watch some jet li or jackie chan movies if you don't like grappling and think flashy shit = skill. I'll stick to watching real fights and just appreciate them for being true competition between two competitors with fair and equal rules. I won't wine about it either if there isn't constant jaw dropping action... I prefer reality.
mayhem Says:
@Videodrome_NOW
Look back at the UFC title holders over the years. How many came in with a strong wrestling back ground? Hendo held 2 belts in Pride... what was he good at?
Randy has won 5 titles in 2 diffrent weight classes... what did he do before this again? That guy Matt Hughes, didnt he hold a title for like 4 years? Notice how unstoppable GSP looks now??? What did he get REAL good at so good in fact that Kos couldnt even get out from under him? Wrestling.
Other than a handfull of guys wrestling has proven to be a very good if not the best base to start off with... Lyoto is only now starting to make the case that maybe you can be good with out using wrestling as much.
Tito - Mark Coleman - Don Frye - Dan Sevren - Chuck Liddel - Mark Kerr - Kevin Randleman - Rashad - all sold wrestlers who all did very good or won titles in the UFC.
ArmFarmer Says:
You're bitter towards boring fighters yet you're sitting here nutriding Machida, a guy that's so boring that the only way he got a title shot is because Rampage didn't want it and there's no one else to take it. You obviously just blindly hate wrestlers.
Art Gibs Says:
@Videodrome_NOW
Wow, touchy touchy. ArmFarmer is right; your argument is flawed. The question is what's the best base, and simply noting that a great fighter has a karate base doesn't prove or disprove anything. It's better to focus on a broad range of fighters -- not merely one -- and look to see which fighting-bases end up doing better on average.
CJvsCP Says:
@ Cathedron
I don't get it??? you lost a lot of money on what? He's never lost! Except for 1 draw 1 DRAW? He has a really good record for winning in the UFC!
Win Forrest Griffin Technical Knock Out UFC
Win Chuck Liddell Knock Out UFC® 88 BREAKTHROUGH
Win Michael Bisping Split Decision UFC® 78 VALIDATION
Draw Tito Ortiz Draw UFC® 73 STACKED
Win Sean Salmon Knock Out UFC® Fight Night™ Rashad Evans vs Sean Salmon
Win Jason Lambert Knock Out UFC® 63:
Win Stephan Bonnar Majority Decision UFC® Fight Night™ 5
Win Sam Hoger Split Decision UFC® Fight Night™ 4
Win Brad Imes Split Decision The Ultimate Fighter® 2 Finale
ArmFarmer Says:
As for your Bader comments, he looked pretty damn good against Marrero and damn near armbarred him. I think he was injured for that fight too. So he's had two ufc fights, 2-0, one of which was a ko on the feet and the other he dominated and made attempts to finish and came close with submissions.
As for other wrestlers how bout... Shane Carwin ko'ing people, Koschek vs Yoshida/koschek vs Hazlet, Matt Hamill standing and striking with Bisping and bullying him for 3 rounds, Matt Hamill head kicking that dude unconscious, Matt Hughes armbar of gsp.. I'm sure there are tons of others you could probably go on for a while...
ArmFarmer Says:
You can't be a real fan of mma if you want to see any of the most important styles done away just because you think it's boring imo. Then you are just a fan of seeing a slugfest, not a legitimate competition.
just some dong Says:
This will be so much better than Silva vs. Leites. That fight sucked because one fighter was basically one-dimensional and didn't really want to engage - he knew he was outmatched. This is different; both these guys are well rounded, and both have a fair chance to win. I like a good ol' balls-out slugfest, sure... but there's nothing better than a chessmatch between two hyper-talented athletes. I watch MMA to see who's style is the best - not to see who can take the most overhand rights to the head (we've already discovered that that's Chris Leben). So I agree wholeheartedly with this article's title: This fight will be a true sporting event and I can't wait to see how it unfolds.
Videodrome_NOW Says:
Holy Shit, I'm not the one who started a pissing match here. Maybe I should have been more clear so that this isn't about what it somehow has turned into. I was talking about Ryan Bader and Jesse Taylor, two of thew worst fighters, in my opinion, (I can't believe I have to say that), to come out of TUF. Maybe if I had worded my sentence differently, it would have helped. I said what I said about wrestling not being the best base for people to come into the sport because Machida is the exception, not the rule. You can argue all day about wrestling this or karate that, all I was saying is that I would rather see more people like Machida in the UFC than I would alot of one dimensional wrestlers. I DID NOT say all wrestlers were one dimensional, and I didn't attack any fucking wretlers. It was just an opinion, that I want to see Martial Artists in the octagon, from whatever discipline they come from, as long as they are well rounded and fluid in their fighting. I think Brock Lesnar and Shane Carwin are fuckin awesome fighters. So get off your hate-filled band wagon, and find something better to do.
By the way, I train with Jeremy Horn in Salt Lake if any of you want show your face to me there.
just some dong Says:
Arm, I think Video is just saying he's sick of seeing all these wrestlers turned fighters that basically just lay and pray w/o passing guard for 3 rounds. He's not against ground fighting per se; he's against boring, unimaginative ground fighting. I have to agree...
HOWEVER, Video, this stuff makes sense for guys like Bader, because they're young in their careers and they're still developing. I mean look at Rashad... I used to hate watching his early fights. Now he's the champ and very exciting to watch. Look at Koscheck's early fights, or Leben's - all very similar. But now that these guys have had time to develop they've become some of the most exciting fighters around. If Bader doesn't continue to improve, he'll eventually run up against a devastating striker with good takedown defense, and things will work themselves out naturally. If he keeps adding new tools, you may find yourself a big fan one day.
Videodrome_NOW Says:
@ Dong
Obviously, but maybe just maybe, wouldnt it be more preferable to see guys on TUF who actually have developed the tools they need and aren't just at the end of their wrestling careers? That's all I'm fuckin saying. I believe in wrestling and how vital it is, everybody just takes themselves too fucking seriously and have to find fault with anything to make themselves feel better. In all actuality I was just commenting on Aenarions comments, because it really would be insane if Machida wins.
just some dong Says:
Sure it would, Vid. I have to say, that last season of TUF was one of my least-favs. It's good to see guys this season who have multiple tools.
Now, about people who take things too seriously... :P
ArmFarmer Says:
"I don't get it??? you lost a lot of money on what? He's never lost! Except for 1 draw 1 DRAW? He has a really good record for winning in the UFC!"
I'm going to take a shot in the dark here but... I would guess he probably bet AGAINST Rashad, and Rashad winning cost him a lot of money. Just throwin that out there. lol
Jugger Says:
I'm searching for a reason to believe that Lyoto is going to put on a show that is slightly more exciting than a chess game. The UFC hype-machine is certainly doing it's best, but I'm still unconvinced. I'm always impressed with Lyoto, but never entertained (and that is an important difference when it comes to doling out PPV money).
I'd like to see Rashad come out with Anderson Silva's game plan of "I have the belt so you have to be the aggressive one; not me." Make Lyoto move forward. Make Lyoto press the action. Make Lyoto take the chances. I mean, it's Rashad's belt. Furthermore, Anderson has proved that if you have the belt, non-aggressive fighting (oxymoron?) is the way to go. Dana White and moderate fans hate you, but all the MMA snobs think you're a genius.
If Rashad fights non-aggressively he'll keep his belt by unanimous decision just like Anderson did. If he tries to rush Lyoto, he'll be made a fool of and lose his belt by unanimous decision. It's up to Rashad.
ArmFarmer Says:
"wouldnt it be more preferable to see guys on TUF who actually have developed the tools they need and aren't just at the end of their wrestling careers?"
I don't think so, not if the wrestlers at the end of their careers have more potential than any already well rounded fighter in the house. Tuf is meant to groom up and comers that are relatively new to the fight game but have a lot of potential. I would hate to see a Koschek/Rashad/Hammel not make it onto tuf (or ufc) in place of a George Gurgel/ Seth Petruzelli/Stephan Bonnar, who are very well rounded and entertaining but aren't going to make a dent in their division.
ArmFarmer Says:
Jugger, I think if Rashad lets Machida come to him Machida will still win. He may only throw 10 strikes the entire 5 rounds and land 8, but he should still be the more effective striker. Forrest made Rashad look stupid on the feet, Lyoto will also imo. The only people Rashad has brutally outstriked is Salmon and a wide open Chuck, if I'm not mistaken. Even then, he mostly just landed one big shot.
ArmFarmer Says:
""Secondly, Machida did not come from a wrestling background which goes to show that wrestling is not the best base someone should have for coming into the sport of MMA. I really hope that we begin to see more Martial Arts and not sloppy brawling and poor ground-and-pound from fighters."
Sounds like you just tried to say that because Machida is successful, wrestling must not be the best base.
"Maybe I should have been more clear so that this isn't about what it somehow has turned into. I was talking about Ryan Bader and Jesse Taylor, two of thew worst fighters, in my opinion, (I can't believe I have to say that), to come out of TUF."
You mentioned them as examples, but you didn't say you were talking specifically about them, you were making a broad generalization.
"Maybe if I had worded my sentence differently, it would have helped."
If by worded your sentence differently you mean said something entirely different, then yeah. You say one thing, then go back and say no I didn't say that I meant this. You're just trying to change your point as you go, saying different shit than what you originally said. That makes it pretty hard to a. figure out what the hell you're trying to say exactly, and b. explain to you why you're wrong.
MMAHaven Says:
This will be a great fight, especially when Rashad lands a bomb in the third and sends the piss drinking Japazillian to the canvas.
Jugger Says:
ArmFarmer,
You're pro'lly right. I'm just curious to see if Lyoto can be the same fighter if he's forced to be offensive, rather than counter-offensive. I don't think he'll perform as well if he's forced to fight differently.
He's not a devastating striker. He's the only "striker" I can think of who has only 1 KO on his UFC record. If Rashad can get him out of his comfort zone by not moving forward, I think the fight drastically swings into Rashad's favor because Lyoto sure-as-hell won't be knocking anybody out. If Lyoto loses his "angles" and the ability to fight off his back foot, that plays right into Rashad's wrestling. Can Lyoto make a non-aggressive fighter look stupid? You seem confident, but I'm not so sure.
ArmFarmer Says:
Honestly.. reread your entire first post. That's blatant wrestler bashing. No one has brought up any of the following.. wrestling/which style is the best base/wrestling being the best base/Ryan Bader ect.
No one said anything about any of these things, and yet somehow in your reply to the dude's post which had nothing to do with any of your points you manage to write an entire paragraph about how much you don't like wrestlers.
The part I find most ammusing is that you yourself mention wrestling as the best base style to start with.. no one else made that claim you just brought it up and said it so that means either A. you believe it yourself or B. a large percentage of people believe it and you're tired of hearing about it. The fact that you brought it up without anyone else mentioning it works against your own argument.
TrueMMAFollower Says:
@ArmFarmer
Give up already, dude. Nobody wants to hear you go on and on AND ON bashing Videodrome's comments. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and he wasn't even making negative comments, just giving his opinion about the fight, and isn't that what this site is all about?? I thought the purpose of these forums was to post comments and thoughts and ideas in a CONSTRUCTIVE manner, not to bash on other people for their opinions. Sorry man, but not everyone in the world is going to agree with you. We are all allowed our own opinions ... or has the UFC suddenly become communist?? And in the end, it's all just opinion until the fight actually happens, and THEN we will see who really is the best light heavyweight in the world. And until I see YOU fighting in the UFC yourself, don't try to claim that you know everything about MMA, because you don't.
kempo666 Says:
If everyone thinks Rashad is going to win this fight, then why are the lines in Machidas favor? I thought I had an underdog to bet on that might finally pay off... Now that is out the window.
Between Machida and GSP, Karate schools might start filling up which is good news for me.
daddypants Says:
so why would you hug any specific martial art's nuts if you are an MMA fan? they all depend completely on the person practicing the style to be effective, and if ANY of these styles were what we consider a COMPLETE martial art then there would be no use in cross training in different styles and ultimately there would be no MMA. wrestling is great, karate is great, but both are just pieces of these competitors styles, and both alone just can't cut it in the octagon. people sound so stupid when they go on and on about a mixed martial artist's "base" style. that's retarded. a good martial artist (like both of these competitors) can incorporate ALL the good parts of ALL the different styles they train. look at what happened to frankie edgar against gray maynard, edgar was a fantastic wrestler and it got him far against opponents that couldn't wrestle as well as him, but once he ran up against a bigger better wrestler he looked like he had no idea what to do. a fighter's "base" discipline doesn't mean squat if they don't learn the other angles of the game too.
wrestling and karate are BOTH great 2 dimensional ways of getting your ass kicked in a fight, but work great when used in tandem with other styles. they are both as limited as the point of views of the people that think they are complete.
and a lay and pray is just as boring to watch as two guys dancing around a ring not hitting each other, only the lay and pray involves less skill.
ArmFarmer Says:
"Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and he wasn't even making negative comments, just giving his opinion about the fight, and isn't that what this site is all about??"
No, he wasn't. Maybe you should read his post before talking about it. He didn't give his opinion about the fight anywhere in his post. Was he making negative comments? Yes, he was. His entire post was nothing but rediculous speculation and wrestler bashing.
"We are all allowed our own opinions ... or has the UFC suddenly become communist?? And in the end, it's all just opinion until the fight actually happens, and THEN we will see who really is the best light heavyweight in the world."
As I just pointed out, no where in his entire post did he attempt any kind of discussion about the fight between Rashad and Machida.. so no.. when the fight actually happens we won't really find anything out, at least not anything related to this conversation.
"And until I see YOU fighting in the UFC yourself, don't try to claim that you know everything about MMA, because you don't."
1. Sense when does bieng in the ufc mean you know everything about mma??
2. I AM in the ufc fucker.. where do you think I farm my arms??
"I thought the purpose of these forums was to post comments and thoughts and ideas in a CONSTRUCTIVE manner, not to bash on other people for their opinions. Sorry man, but not everyone in the world is going to agree with you. We are all allowed our own opinions"
First off, you obviously havne't been here very long. Second, I am posting thoughts and ideas and backing them up. I am engaging in a discussion and posting relevant information that relates to mma, the article, and the comments on the article. Everyone is allowed their opinion, including me. It's a little contradictory to make a post telling me to shut up and in the same post saying we are all allowed our own opinions.
Just a couple weeks ago this site was filled with graphic homosexual suggestions and very little discussion on mma so I don't think I'm really stepping out of line here.
ArmFarmer Says:
"look at what happened to frankie edgar against gray maynard, edgar was a fantastic wrestler and it got him far against opponents that couldn't wrestle as well as him, but once he ran up against a bigger better wrestler he looked like he had no idea what to do."
Watch Edgar vs Griffin. Griffin was the bigger of the two but Edgar mixed his skills perfectly and came out on top. It was an excellent display of mixing disciplines and keeping your opponent guessing.
Other than that I pretty much agree with everything you said.
TrueMMAFollower Says:
So if you're in the ufc, how come you spend all day on the computer bashing other people's comments with seemingly nothing better to do???
ArmFarmer Says:
Except the lay n pray involves no skill part, that I don't agree with at all. It takes far less skill to dance around and avoid exchanges than it does to impose your will, force your opponent to the mat when he doesn't want to go there, and keep him there. Example.. Joslyn vs Koschek.. A very boring fight for sure but plenty of skill involved. Joslyn is a bjj blackbelt and is very crafty from his back, are you saying it takes little skill to take him down at will, keep him down, and avoid all sweep and submission attempts? I think it'd be much easier to dance around and run away from someone than take down an expert ground fighter and control him for 15-25 minutes.
ArmFarmer Says:
"So if you're in the ufc, how come you spend all day on the computer bashing other people's comments with seemingly nothing better to do???"
I keep a computer in my gym so that I can simultaneously own people on the mat and the web. It's called multitasking.
ArmFarmer Says:
Damn Dana White's blowing me up, probably wants me to step in short notice for a title fight again. I gotta go talk to the boss, see you guys later.
TrueMMAFollower Says:
Keep dreaming ArmFarmer. I VERY MUCH doubt you own people on the mat, and you sure as hell haven't owned anyone here on the web. You've just proved to all people reading these comments that you are nothing but a pretended-know-it-all who wants to make himself feel like a bigger man by putting others down. Nice job, hope you feel proud of your success.
PingPong Says:
I can wait to see what the best mind in MMA (Greg Jackson) comes up with to get after Machida.
This fight is gonna be just great!
ken-mura Says:
I like both fighters, but I think Evans has more killer instinct.
Savageleto Says:
Its BJ Penn...
Thats why...
just some dong Says:
Man i was just thinking... what if Rashad gets the better of the standup exchanges? Oh man this is gonna be so good... I too like both fighters. I just hope Lyoto wins because he's such a unique and cool dude... not that Rashad isn't, but compared to the Dragon he just seems like average joe.
PaulO Says:
I'm not saying Machida can't win, but my question is this:
Who has Machida fought in the past 3 years to warrant a title shot?
To all of those trying to pick a winner, how can you evaluate Machida? When is the last time you watched him be challenged by a quality opponent? To me, he's a huge question mark. Sure, maybe he can win. I have no idea because I have nothing to go on.
denver_rolling Says:
also, Machida does have a sumo background and is a BJJ black belt. He's an awesome grappler and has beautiful sweeps. Rashad is strong, but I don't think it will be as easy as people seem to think for him if it goes to the ground (which I hope it does)! Im really looking forward to this