Matt Hughes Chimes in on Rashad Evans' Loss to Lyoto Machida: "Bad Coaching"

by Kid Nate on May 31, 2009 9:34 PM EDT in MMA News

I'm not a big Matt Hughes fan, but I do respect that the guy calls it like he sees it, from his blog:

I went back and watched the Rashad fight again, and I think it comes down to bad coaching. In the prefight press conference, I heard Rashad say that he didn't bring anybody in who would resemble Machida's style. When I heard that, I knew that there might be some problems. That is probably a big reason why Rashad didn't do very well in the striking area. I also think Rashad should have been coached on using his wrestling talent. He didn't shoot one takedown that I can remember and he just made it a sparring match. If I was to coach Rashad against Machida, I would have told him to make it a fight, use his wrestling and groundwork to really dictate the match. Not just go out and spar with him. I think Rashad could have done a lot better in that fight. I'm not saying he should have won, but he's a lot better than he showed on Saturday.

Its easy to Monday morning quarterback, but Greg Jackson's game plan clearly didn't work for Rashad Evans against Lyoto Machida.

HT MMA Mania.

Photo via TopNews.in

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Comments

I agree with Hughes, but you could see after the 1st round, Rashad’s will was broken already….I guess machida’s dad was telling the truth when he said he was going to attack rashad’s spirit.

by yin hsiung on May 31, 2009 9:39 PM EDT reply actions

Greg Jackson miscalculated thinking Rashad could take 10 punches to land 1…. obviously the arithmetic didnt work out to his favor.

by mmalogic on May 31, 2009 9:54 PM EDT reply actions

G.Jackson probably overestimated Rashad on this one. I don’t think he expected weak ass footwork and a glass jaw. And of course that’s mostly because everyone underestimated machida (since most people thought it was an interesting match up impossible to call).

by spectaa on May 31, 2009 9:58 PM EDT reply actions

Dude!

I am a huge Machida fan but Rashad had anything but a ‘glass’ jaw. He took some serious shots and was still hangin in there.

by Daveyboy on May 31, 2009 10:06 PM EDT up reply actions

That's true

This term doesn’t even mean anything to me it’s like saying you got a weak arm cause you tap to an arm bar. What I meant to say is G.Jackson probably didn’t expect rashad to have a weak stand up against lyoto. Fuck the Glass Jaw it’s not even what I had in mind.

by spectaa on May 31, 2009 11:15 PM EDT up reply actions

Since when has Rashad had a glass jaw?

"I see him beating Anderson Silva. I see him picking him apart. Him at a 131 years old...(trails off)." - Tito on Belfort at Affliction:DOR

by Rundownloser on May 31, 2009 10:07 PM EDT up reply actions

Hi

Thanks for proving my point that anytime anyone gets knocked out, some idiot comes along and claims he has a glass jaw.

by mythbuster on May 31, 2009 10:09 PM EDT up reply actions

Thanks for calling me some idiot, very classy. I may be wrong, but I still deserve respect no?

by spectaa on May 31, 2009 10:59 PM EDT up reply actions

Don't worry

I got a warning for stating what happens every time someone gets knocked out.

And no, when you say something as censored as “I don’t think he expected weak ass footwork and a glass jaw” (about Rashad), you kinda deserve the flak you get from it, since you certainly didn’t show the guy who was in there fighting any respect.

But, well played Spectaa. You managed to turn from attacker to victim in the wink of an eye, and convinced a mod the same. Credit where its due.

by mythbuster on Jun 1, 2009 1:31 AM EDT up reply actions

Let's cool it guys.

Watch the name calling.

by Cannon Jacques on May 31, 2009 11:18 PM EDT up reply actions

Ummm

I was surprised how long he held in there, he was getting Tee’d off on for a while. He’s never been knocked out before…and that equals glass jaw?

by soadtrails on May 31, 2009 10:27 PM EDT reply actions

oops, reply fail

by soadtrails on May 31, 2009 10:27 PM EDT up reply actions

I wonder how much was coaching and how much was Rashad – just because Plan A is developed doesn’t mean that it’ll be followed through. If Jackson had the Perfect Plan, but Rashad didn’t use, it wouldn’t be bad coaching. I’m not saying this is what happened, but I’m curious how much difference exists between the theory and practice here.

Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better. -Samuel Beckett

by Scott C. Broussard on May 31, 2009 10:31 PM EDT reply actions

Who fights like Lyoto?

???

dumb comment.

by banter on May 31, 2009 10:40 PM EDT reply actions

^^ This. Who would you call to train against lyoto seriously?

by spectaa on May 31, 2009 11:17 PM EDT up reply actions

His dad, pending a Mayweather sized father-son meltdown.

Keep firing Assholes!

This is a dream competition for me. I drink as much coffee as I want, and eventually I hallucinate.

by Ubernoober on May 31, 2009 11:20 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs

Lyoto = Anderson part deux?

“Yeah, but he has never faced a solid kickboxer with heavy hands”
(Dismantles kickboxer)
“OK… but he has never fought an aggressive fighter with strong wrestling”
(Dismantles wrester)
“Shit… ok… ummm Jiu Jitsu guy?”
(etc)

by TheConcreteKid on May 31, 2009 11:58 PM EDT reply actions 3 recs

Yes

Kuwabara Kuwabara

by J. B. Maddox on Jun 1, 2009 7:53 AM EDT up reply actions

(rec’d)

Lyoto has a better set of challengers ahead than Anderson did – he has a chance to surpass Anderson in a few areas – as the LHW champion, he’ll get attention, as the guy fighting against the biggest names in the UFC, he’ll get more attention, and as a guy who now has the ability and desire to finish fights in standing exchanges, he’ll have mainstream fans.

I’m not taking anything away from Anderson – I was a fan until recently – but the combination of the premier weight class, the potential to fight the best-known guys in MMA (less a few heavyweights like Couture and Lesnar), and a style that has been exciting of late, Lyoto may exceed Anderson’s peak popularity.

cheers,
Andrew

by outlander78 on Jun 1, 2009 12:35 AM EDT reply actions

Wow. Matt Hughes is really, really, really observant.

by Derek Suboticki on Jun 1, 2009 1:53 AM EDT reply actions

Where was he when his friend Sean Sherk decided that he was going to stand up against Frankie Edgar? I was yelling the same things at the screen.

A wise man told me don't argue with fools
Cause people from a distance can't tell who is who

by thetakeover on Jun 1, 2009 8:59 AM EDT up reply actions

i have a question

how often do we see a champion get mauled like that?

machida vs. rashad was a seriously one sided fight… and yes the odds were against rashad from the start… but seriously… the belt holder was made to look like a chump…

he wasn’t just a belt holder… he was a fighter who had earned the belt by showcasing his abilities….

i expected rashad to lose… but i did not expect to be fearful for his health at the end of the fight

by ruckus on Jun 1, 2009 3:54 AM EDT reply actions

Franklin/Silva I

Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better. -Samuel Beckett

by Scott C. Broussard on Jun 1, 2009 4:38 AM EDT up reply actions

I was never that impressed with Rashads skills.

by Dropkick434 on Jun 1, 2009 11:31 AM EDT up reply actions

Do poeple still care what Matt Hughes has to say?? Seems he has an opinion on everything anymore. His old ass needs to retire or concentrate on training rather than trying to be the opinion queen of the UFC.

by Mirjitsu on Jun 1, 2009 3:40 PM EDT reply actions