Machida vs. Rua
I wasn’t able to watch UFC 104 last Sunday as I was at my goddaughter’s birthday party. I wasn’t particularly interested in the card except for the last two featuring Cain Velasquez and the Machida-Rua fight.
To begin with, I thought Machida would win this one handily. I thought Round 4 would be just right and Machida would KTFO Shogun who would be slowed down considerably by then. Of course it wasn’t how it turned out. As I was enjoying myself at the party, I received texts and read from ESPN/Sherdog that Machida was losing the fight. When he got the UD win, people started texting me showing their disgust with the decision and naturally I was intrigued with whether or not it was a bad decision.
Today I watched it. On mute, so that I wouldn’t be distracted with the howls of the fans and the comments of Goldberg and Rogan.
Rounds one to three are Machida rounds. I heard some quarters say that Round 1 could go either way but that’s just plain wrong and forgetful. While everybody was still looking for their seats, Machida has already unleashed four solid knees to the body of Shogun and another one followed soon after without Shogun hitting Machida of any consequence. The rest of the round was back and forth with Machida landing punches and Rua landing kicks. If those even out then Machida clearly won the round due to his first minute salvo.
Round 2 was the closest of the first three rounds but the best offense that Rua was able to deliver were knees to thighs during a clinch. Surely those had effect especially later on but Machida was also able to land knees to the body and leg sweeps as well.
The third round was clearly Machida’s. Without the sound, one could clearly see how Machida hit more than got hit himself. In several exchanges, Rua was able to attack the body of Lyoto with his awesome kicks but if you watch it again, while his kick was clearly the most visible, you would realize that Rua ate a punch to the face and a leg kick right at the same time. Of all the rounds, the third was the most clear of all rounds and it goes to the Champ.
Round 4 was Rua’s. His knees to Machida’s thighs were back at work and a couple of body shots also tilted things to his favor. Leg kicks added to those as well. Machida was clearly slowing down but he was able to get a couple of shots in as well. Rua however had clearer strikes and damaged Machida’s midsection and it showed. A slip was an opening that Rua took and even then he wasn’t able to take down Machida.
Round five was a toss up but if one were to go with the most significant of blows, the knees of Machida at around 2:47 would be the most important. He had a couple of flurries and a few kicks and while he appeared to have been badly damaged by Shogun in th
e fifth, his cuts to the face readily shows that the punches he received were merely glancing blows.
Machida won the fight by the score of 4-1 in my book but you could make the argument that it was 3-2 if you were to give Shogun round two. At the very worst, Lyoto lost the fight 2-3 but that is almost a stretch already.
What makes the fight a bit controversial is the fact that Shogun looked good after and Machida looked beaten. But that’s just how they look. Shogun is the type of guy who would still look fresh even after going through a forest fire. He just looks cool no matter what. Lyoto is different. He always looks exhausted afterwards and doesn’t have that James Bondish quality of looking cool.
Hits wise, Machida had the more solid strikes and hits even though he looked worse. I could blame Machida for being too fast that one doesn’t see the knees landing and the punches hitting Shogun’s face.
For sure it was a close match but Machida clearly won it. Granted fights aren’t meant to be watched on one’s computer with the easy scroll back for replay and mute button for better focus but in the end, using the same, clearly Machida won the fight.
I wasn’t able to watch UFC 104 last Sunday as I was at my goddaughter’s birthday party. I wasn’t particularly interested in the card except for the last two featuring Cain Velasquez and the Machida-Rua fight.
To begin with, I thought Machida would win this one handily. I thought Round 4 would be just right and Machida would KTFO Shogun who would be slowed down considerably by then. Of course it wasn’t how it turned out. As I was enjoying myself at the party, I received texts and read from ESPN/Sherdog that Machida was losing the fight. When he got the UD win, people started texting me showing their disgust with the decision and naturally I was intrigued with whether or not it was a bad decision.
Today I watched it. On mute, so that I wouldn’t be distracted with the howls of the fans and the comments of Goldberg and Rogan.
Rounds one to three are Machida rounds. I heard some quarters say that Round 1 could go either way but that’s just plain wrong and forgetful. While everybody was still looking for their seats, Machida has already unleashed four solid knees to the body of Shogun and another one followed soon after without Shogun hitting Machida of any consequence. The rest of the round was back and forth with Machida landing punches and Rua landing kicks. If those even out then Machida clearly won the round due to his first minute salvo.
Round 2 was the closest of the first three rounds but the best offense that Rua was able to deliver were knees to thighs during a clinch. Surely those had effect especially later on but Machida was also able to land knees to the body and leg sweeps as well.
The third round was clearly Machida’s. Without the sound, one could clearly see how Machida hit more than got hit himself. In several exchanges, Rua was able to attack the body of Lyoto with his awesome kicks but if you watch it again, while his kick was clearly the most visible, you would realize that Rua ate a punch to the face and a leg kick right at the same time. Of all the rounds, the third was the most clear of all rounds and it goes to the Champ.
Round 4 was Rua’s. His knees to Machida’s thighs were back at work and a couple of body shots also tilted things to his favor. Leg kicks added to those as well. Machida was clearly slowing down but he was able to get a couple of shots in as well. Rua however had clearer strikes and damaged Machida’s midsection and it showed. A slip was an opening that Rua took and even then he wasn’t able to take down Machida.
Round five was a toss up but if one were to go with the most significant of blows, the knees of Machida at around 2:47 would be the most important. He had a couple of flurries and a few kicks and while he appeared to have been badly damaged by Shogun in th
e fifth, his cuts to the face readily shows that the punches he received were merely glancing blows.Machida won the fight by the score of 4-1 in my book but you could make the argument that it was 3-2 if you were to give Shogun round two. At the very worst, Lyoto lost the fight 2-3 but that is almost a stretch already.
What makes the fight a bit controversial is the fact that Shogun looked good after and Machida looked beaten. But that’s just how they look. Shogun is the type of guy who would still look fresh even after going through a forest fire. He just looks cool no matter what. Lyoto is different. He always looks exhausted afterwards and doesn’t have that James Bondish quality of looking cool.
Hits wise, Machida had the more solid strikes and hits even though he looked worse. I could blame Machida for being too fast that one doesn’t see the knees landing and the punches hitting Shogun’s face.
For sure it was a close match but Machida clearly won it. Granted fights aren’t meant to be watched on one’s computer with the easy scroll back for replay and mute button for better focus but in the end, using the same, clearly Machida won the fight.
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