UFC 113 Preview: Mauricio "Shogun" Rua Promises New Strategies for Rematch With Champ Lyoto Machida
by Nate Wilcox on Apr 28, 2010 10:55 AM EDT
in MMA Technique
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Sherdog was on the press conference call:
Rua, who was lauded for his calculated attacks against Machida, said he's been planning and drilling alternative strategies but doesn't forget that he's facing an unorthodox striker.
"Many people think that taking the fight to the ground and working the ground with Machida would be a good way to win the fight, but that's a very hard thing to (do) because Lyoto is a very good player on the ground and he's trained a lot of sumo and wrestling, so he has a very good base," said Rua. "Sometimes it's very hard to get him down to the ground.
"When you prepare (for) a fight, you have to focus on the worst situation you can go through in a fight," he continued. "Fighting Machida, the toughest situation you can find is fighting him standing up."
Fighters are always vague and cagey when discussing their strategies pre-fight and rightfully so. Nevertheless, this little bit of entrail reading is very interesting to me.
First let's put it in context -- Shogun essentially "solved" Lyoto Machida's innovative (for MMA) striking style at UFC 113. Before facing Shogun, Machida had utterly baffled every opponent he'd faced in the UFC, most notably Rashad Evans.
I'm hoping to be able to focus on breaking down what Shogun did in some detail before the fight, but let's start with a quick summary:
- Machida's Shotokan Karate style emphasizes evading strikes above all else;
- Machida fights outside the kickboxing range of most fighters, he lunges in to land punches then retreats and throws kicks from the far outside -- aiming to land with his feet rather than his shins as Muay Thai-based fighters do;
- Machida looks to strike at the very instant when his opponent has committed to a strike and is therefore helpless to react;
- Machida is also a double threat from the clinch: Machida has incorporated a fair bit of Muay Thai into his clinch game, especially knees from the plum, he also has an arsenal of trips and sweeps from the most common wrestling tie ups;
- Machida loves to trip and sweep opponents while also landing punches and kicks from range;
- Machida uses a bewildering array of feints and misdirections to keep opponents guessing.
- Constantly walking down Machida and cutting off the cage while maintaining a tight defensive posture with his hands up;
- Ignoring the movement of Machida's limbs and focusing entirely on his trunk;
- Refusing to strike first but immediately countering with kicks to the legs and body anytime Machida lunged in to strike.
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I think if Shogun tries to take Machida down as his main strategy
it could be a short night for him. As in, he fails to get the takedown, and gets lit up by Machida in doing so.
Sherdog on the call, eh?
Maybe they’ve been credentialed again. I hope so.
by StephenDedalus on Apr 28, 2010 10:47 AM EDT reply actions
I don’t believe they were allowed on any UFC conference calls since having their credentials revoked.
by StephenDedalus on Apr 28, 2010 11:09 AM EDT up reply actions
Have we seen some remarkably diverse gameplans from Machida? Are we also assuming Shogun is a dumb fighter?
Crush a bit, little bit, roll it up, take a hit... Feelin’ lit, feelin’ light, 2 am summer night...
by Anthony Pace on Apr 28, 2010 6:48 PM EDT up reply actions
Loved the first fight
Hoping for a barn-burner this time around.
Doubt this fight is going to the ground.
This fight determines a pound for pound?
“Dude, just watch the fight without the sound!”
-realized i rhymed the first two, thought I’d keep it going…drowned.
by Body Triangle on Apr 28, 2010 10:56 AM EDT reply actions 2 recs
Great analysis Nate
I’m so pumped for this rematch. I’ve been looking forward to this fight more than any other so far this year. Can’t wait!
"Old Dogs does to the screen what old dogs do to the carpet. It's unfortunate that only the latter can be taken out and shot." -Kyle Smith
watchkalibrun.com
Same here
Thanks for the analysis Nate. This may bore casual fans, but this is heaven to martial arts nerds who love analysis and strategies. This match has everything… Shotokan vs. Chute Boxe. Aggressive muay Thai stance vs. defensive karate stance. Two of the very best going at it.
The only comparable nerdy matchups I can think of would be Lesnar/Fedor, Anderson/GSP, Anderson/Machida, and Lesnar/Mir 3.
I was among the group
that thought Rua won the fight on first viewing, and changed my mind upon a second viewing. I’m not sure what strategy would improve Rua’s chances of winning, but if it’s not the clinch or trying to get the fight to the ground, perhaps throwing more striking combinations would prevent Machida from taking advantage of that lull after a single strike or kick is thrown.
Shogun tried to take Machida down twice
but failed at it, I think he just figured he’d lose a lot of energy if he decided to pursue that strategy, since he was feeling comfortable standing up with him there was no need for him to waste energy trying to take him down (this is actually what he said after the fight as well). My guess is that in the rematch, the only way we see this fight hit the floor is if Machida wants it to and I think Shogun would welcome that, but I don’t think Shogun is going to take the initiative for that.
WAR SHOGUN!
Don’t let anger get in the way of comprehension
Yeah Shogun did try couple of times and failed, but he did
get Machida stood against the cage and KNEED THE JESUS OUT OF HIM. Machida was stuck and was too busy trying to stop Shogun’s take downs.
I see Shogun kneeing the crap out of Machida again.
It’s also worth mentioning that Machida has also failed to successfully take Shogun on the ground with his very tricky foot sweeps. [Much less # of attempts compare to Shogun’s attempts on take downs]
WAR SHOGUN INDEEED. There are much more interesting match if Shogun wins…
who knows we might even see Forrest vs. Shogun kekekekeke
You have to beat the legend, in order to become the LEGEND
-Melvin Manhoef (after his destruction of Sakuraba)
by chopstickthugz on Apr 28, 2010 12:30 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Shogun has ungodly balance
Crush a bit, little bit, roll it up, take a hit... Feelin’ lit, feelin’ light, 2 am summer night...
by Anthony Pace on Apr 28, 2010 6:50 PM EDT up reply actions
I am curious to see how Lyoto will tweak his strategy after Anderson Silva supposedly informed Lyoto of what he was doing wrong in the last fight.
"If your going to come on then come on!" - Harold Howard
More thigh punches
"I want to tell me what you see, let's go ahead and see by in the fight, what you saw, in the ring." - Tito Ortiz
by CasualMMAFan on Apr 28, 2010 2:00 PM EDT up reply actions
Oho, good one
"I want to tell me what you see, let's go ahead and see by in the fight, what you saw, in the ring." - Tito Ortiz
by CasualMMAFan on Apr 28, 2010 4:56 PM EDT up reply actions
Correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t Shogun attempt takedowns several times in the fight? He would then lose the pummeling match and start firing knees to the thighs against the cage.
Sure glad Lesnar got his shit straightened out.
Regardless of who wins, I don't want it to be close.
I don’t want any more time spent arguing about who really won the fight. These are two of my favorite fighters, and so long as they leave it all int he cage, I’ll be happy.
If you're not watching Treme, you're a bad person.
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better. -Samuel Beckett
by Scott C. Broussard on Apr 28, 2010 11:16 AM EDT reply actions
Something that Machida showed last time round...
was an inability to adjust his game on the fly. His Shotokan striking had been so successful against previous opponents that he didn’t have a plan B. I think that’s a pretty important factor when a fight becomes more of a chessmatch than a brawl.
Bob Arum thinks I'm a white Nazi skinhead even though I'm a brown grad student (with hair)
I think the problem lies with his corner… They believed he was winning every round so Machida felt he had no need to mix it up with a plan B
The same could be said for both fighters
Regardless of who you think won the fight, if either one of them had not sat back and believed they had the fight won in the later rounds, they could have gone out and start stealing rounds with big pushes in the late going.
Want Machida to take this
But you can’t help but respect the hell out of Shogun for putting up the fight that he did
Consider yourself warned, im offensive and creative like handicap porn
by II SMASH II on Apr 28, 2010 11:21 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
Anderson: Yo, Machida, you should have, like, danced for the last two rounds to the point that the ref warned you to engage. You should have talked some **** too and called him a playboy.
Machida: I don’t think my old school Pops would like that strategy. Not very Bushido
Anderson: Nah man, you do that and then you should demand fighters that will walk forward that you can counter to knock out. If the guy is dangerous on the ground, fight like **** and complain even though you are champion and should be willing to face ANYONE.
Machida: I dunno man.
Gatti. Dekkers. Pele. Aoki. Kang. Vanderlei. Basillio. Harry Greb.
by theworldsoldestsport on Apr 28, 2010 11:24 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
I know you're trying to be funny
but Anderson is actually one of the best spoken athletes from Brazil, it’s rare for him to use any type of slangs.
Don’t let anger get in the way of comprehension
“Pardon me, but where is your jiu jitsu at the moment, playboy?”
by deepbeep on Apr 28, 2010 11:41 AM EDT up reply actions 4 recs
70% of the time, all the time.
Sure glad Lesnar got his shit straightened out.
by judonerd on Apr 28, 2010 11:35 AM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
I just hope Machida learned he can’t wait for the perfect opportunity to finish. He had Shogun on the ropes a couple of times in the early rounds, but he would just break off and let him recover. I think he developed a habit of waiting for the perfect opportunity to go for the kill since he had always previously been able to rely on winning a decision if the opportunity to finish didn’t come along. He’ll need to more aggressive.
"an excellent example of why most MMA "journalism" is a joke. Pseudonyms like "toxic" and shitty writing like that dopey article"--- Joe Rogan.
Am I the only one rootng for Shogun?
Really want to see him take the belt.
Me too!
I’m pretty sure Dana would like to see the belt with Shogun, so he can set up more matches for Anderson Silva at LHW. If Machida’s not holding the belt, it opens up the LHW division for Silva; he can take on more contenders and maybe even fight for the title.
Opening it up for Anderson is nice, but I'm more interested in the title fights Shogun could have.
Rampage, Little Nog, Anderson and Thiago Silva would all be great fights to watch and of course it’s more fun with a belt on the line.
Unlike Aderson, Shogun is very unlikely to put on a dull performance…
We were there from the start!
Fenix Knight, too. The war wagon has a little more weight to it this time
Crush a bit, little bit, roll it up, take a hit... Feelin’ lit, feelin’ light, 2 am summer night...
by Anthony Pace on Apr 28, 2010 6:54 PM EDT up reply actions
And I as well.
"Someone is WRONG on the internet. What do you want me to do? LEAVE? Then they'll keep being wrong!"
-Randall Munroe
yeah baby
This must be what it feels like to be a Boise State fan
Crush a bit, little bit, roll it up, take a hit... Feelin’ lit, feelin’ light, 2 am summer night...
by Anthony Pace on Apr 28, 2010 7:00 PM EDT up reply actions
This is Wrestlemania VI
Fan response is reminiscent of Hogan vs. Ultimate Warrior. Passionate fans on both sides, but no villains and respect all around. I’m a Hulkamaniac — er, Machidiac — myself, but I just want both men to fight with honor and won’t be too disappointed if Shogan gets the strap.
by deepbeep on Apr 28, 2010 11:40 AM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
really want Shogun to start saying repeatedly
“HOOO KOGAAAN”
Crush a bit, little bit, roll it up, take a hit... Feelin’ lit, feelin’ light, 2 am summer night...
by Anthony Pace on Apr 28, 2010 6:53 PM EDT up reply actions
I really liked Machida until the contrarian in me saw all of these other people get on the bandwagon and then his star started to fade, for me. Shogun is a truly awesome talent however. I’m really hoping he wins.
by The Darkness on Apr 28, 2010 11:40 AM EDT up reply actions
I love both guys... Def my two favourite LHW fighters.
I am rooting for Shogun though. I thought he won the first fight, I love his style, and the potential matchups for Shogun as the champ are a lot more exciting.
If Machida wins we can look forward to:
Machida / Rampage …I think that is about it.
Evans and Thiago Silva already got destroyed.
He won’t fight Little Nog or Anderson
Who’s left? Bader and Jones?
If Shogun wins:
Shogun / Rampage 2
Shogun / Little Nog 2
Shogun / Anderson
Shogun / Thiago Silva
^^ Those are exciting fights…
Shogun / Little Nog 2
I don’t care if Shogun wins or not, I HAVE to see this fight.
ALL OF YOU LISTEN TO MEE, DON'T DISTURB HERE, I WILL CALL POLICE CATCH YOU, DON'T COME TO MY BANGOLOW HOUSE, UNDERSTAND, O.K. I HATE ALL OF YOU.
by Chris Barton on Apr 28, 2010 11:58 AM EDT up reply actions
If Shogun loses, that fight makes a lot of sense...
If Shogun wins, we could well end up seeing…
Shogun vs Rampage then,
Shogun vs Little Nog in back to back fights…
That would be a dream
I'm rooting for a good fight
I honestly can’t decide who I want to win more. I love them both, and they have both impressed the hell out of me, so I’m watching this fight from a neutral standpoint.
I am cheering for Shogun. I cannot wait for the end of the Machida Era – it is too boring. If he were the second fight of the night, that would be find, but the problem is LHW championship fights have to headline, and he tends to put a bad end on an otherwise great card.
"I'd love to be a Cheick Kongo looking brother that could actually move and do a lot of funky stuff - Jiu Jitsu, takedowns, kicks and stuff." - Jon Jones.
Im rooting for him as well, WAR SHOGUN!!!!
"Everyone has a game plan, untell they get hit." -Mike Tyson
All these comments about Machida’s supposed vast superiority over Shogun are reminiscent of the comments before the first fight, which proved to be dead wrong. Shogun still isn’t getting credit for his skill or gameplanning.
He’s getting credit. I just think most people, like me, think Machida will be ready for it this time. I guess it just comes down to who someone thinks is the better fighter.
I don’t agree, but maybe it’s just me. Comments on how Machida will have Shogun figured out, and how he could’ve finished the first fight except he was too tentative.
Personally, I see it being tougher for Machida to change his style and attack as easily as Shogun can. And we all know how absurd the analysis got before the last fight, as people were claiming Shogun had no striking and virtually no chance. So much for the Machida aura of invincibility.
by Hardcharger on Apr 28, 2010 12:14 PM EDT up reply actions
I’m hearing the same things. A lot of people are acting like Machida is the only one who will change things up, even though it was Shogun who showed up last time with a drastically different fighting style
Crush a bit, little bit, roll it up, take a hit... Feelin’ lit, feelin’ light, 2 am summer night...
by Anthony Pace on Apr 28, 2010 6:55 PM EDT up reply actions
I personally like it this way
it’s more fun when the vast majority is wrong :p
Don’t let anger get in the way of comprehension
I hope no-one brings up ‘the Machida era’ bullshit if he wins.
by Holls Hoyce on Apr 28, 2010 12:00 PM EDT up reply actions
Liked the post. A few thoughts.
1. Shogun had trouble taking Machida down despite getting relatively deep on a couple shots. (He was 0 for 4.) Machida has good TD defense and Shogun’s wrestling is average / above average (at least for UFC LHW division, which is not heavy on wrestlers). Shogun, however, is an outstanding athlete and I feel as though if he seriously focuses on his wrestling he will get very good at it in short order. I have no idea whether he is or is not taking wrestling seriously however.
2. Shogun could fairly be described as a BJJ prodigy, although he didn’t continue competing at a high level (from what I understand) once he obtained his black belt. He was focused on fighting and was already making a name for himself in Pride. Given their respective pedigrees, I would expect that he would have a significant advantage on the ground over Machida, whether on his back or in top position.
3. Shogun didn’t only use leg and body kicks as counterstrikes but mixed in hooks and straight rights as well. It’s important to note that Shogun showed he was a better counterstriker than, supposedly, the best counterstriker in MMA. That Machida was out counterstruck bodes terribly for Machida given how much of his game is predicated on drawing people in and getting the best of them after they attack. I was shocked by the previous line, and frankly am even more baffled by the current line given how the previous fight went down. I think this will be a close fight, but I just don’t see it going for Machida.
Shogun showed he was a better counterstriker than, supposedly, the best counterstriker in MMA
I’m not sure I agree with this, since Machida won.
ALL OF YOU LISTEN TO MEE, DON'T DISTURB HERE, I WILL CALL POLICE CATCH YOU, DON'T COME TO MY BANGOLOW HOUSE, UNDERSTAND, O.K. I HATE ALL OF YOU.
by Chris Barton on Apr 28, 2010 11:59 AM EDT up reply actions
I think even if you score it for Machida
you have to concede that Rua was the one doing the counter striking.
Follow me on Twitter @KidNate
by Nate Wilcox on Apr 28, 2010 12:03 PM EDT up reply actions
True
I just have a hard time thinking that fight somehow showed that Shogun was a better counter striker than Machida.
I want to reiterate that I thought Shogun won a close fight the first time I watched it.
ALL OF YOU LISTEN TO MEE, DON'T DISTURB HERE, I WILL CALL POLICE CATCH YOU, DON'T COME TO MY BANGOLOW HOUSE, UNDERSTAND, O.K. I HATE ALL OF YOU.
by Chris Barton on Apr 28, 2010 12:06 PM EDT up reply actions
I think Shogun does what he did last time, with a couple adjustments to go for the kill. I don’t see him changing things up that much. Either he gets the finish or he loses. And this time, I think Shogun understands he has to finish. What I see from Machida is even more Machida-ness, if that is even possible, meaning more patient, more movement, etc. If Machida wins, it’ll be a decision, if Shogun wins, it’ll be by TKO.
What are the chances Machida tries to catch Shogun off-guard..
..with a takedown?
I know it’s not really in his gameplan (or hasn’t been thus far), but I dunno. It might be something that could totally change the dynamic of the fight.
I think he'll try
with trips though, as he did the first time. Machida’s style is very efficient in saving energy.
Don’t let anger get in the way of comprehension
I think that’s by necessity, because his conditioning, while somewhere between adequate and good, is not all world. He was fading against Shogun and was also getting tired in the Ortiz fight. On the other hand, Shogun’s conditioning,with the exception of a couple anomalies — the coleman and griffin fights, is exceptional.
by The Darkness on Apr 28, 2010 11:53 AM EDT up reply actions
Shogun’s BJJ is a lot better than Machida’s, I’m willing to wager. It’s not a bad idea from the standpoint of scoring points and mixing things up, however, but it’s not a risk free strategy: Tito was able to catch Machida in a nice triangle after all. Nothing I’ve seen from Machida’s top BJJ game makes me think he poses too great of a risk to Shogun (although his KO’ing an already stunned T. Silva from a standing position can’t be ignored). Shogun is very aggressive and competent fighting off his back. If you add all of this up, I don’t think we’ll see too many take downs from Machida, although it wouldn’t surprise me, and certaintly wouldn’t be a bad idea, for Machida to attempt a take down late in a close round to try to steal it (a la the second round of the Ortiz fight).
by The Darkness on Apr 28, 2010 11:50 AM EDT up reply actions
machida beat lovato in a no gi match fyi.
Not saying he is better then shogun but I am not saying he isn’t.
"When i get in there, in his face ,pressin the action,I'm RUFF NECKIN'EM,I'm throwin him around,I'm punchin him,hes punchin me, I'm eatin his shots and I'm Blastin him back in the face he's not goin to be able to handle it ." - Chris Leben on how his fight with Anderson Silva is gonna go.
by Rayce. on Apr 28, 2010 11:55 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Thanks. Didn’t know that. I may need to reassess. Just watched it. Machida kind of looked like a wrestler. He was very physical. What year was the match in? How much does Lovato weigh? Machida looked a lot bigger than him, although looks can be deceiving.
by The Darkness on Apr 28, 2010 12:01 PM EDT up reply actions
lovato figts at middle. which means he is like around 180 to 190lbs. so machida as a few lbs on him.
"When i get in there, in his face ,pressin the action,I'm RUFF NECKIN'EM,I'm throwin him around,I'm punchin him,hes punchin me, I'm eatin his shots and I'm Blastin him back in the face he's not goin to be able to handle it ." - Chris Leben on how his fight with Anderson Silva is gonna go.
by Rayce. on Apr 28, 2010 12:18 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
if the dragons legs were so shot how come shogun couldnt ever get a take down?
I gotta tell ya I have watched that fight like at least ten times. Those weren’t the most damaging leg kicks I have seen.
I am so excited for this rematch . These two guys are like Fuckin comic book characters. I wish shogun would wear his Muay Thai rope hat thingy to the ring and have a stare down with Machida in his Gi.
"When i get in there, in his face ,pressin the action,I'm RUFF NECKIN'EM,I'm throwin him around,I'm punchin him,hes punchin me, I'm eatin his shots and I'm Blastin him back in the face he's not goin to be able to handle it ." - Chris Leben on how his fight with Anderson Silva is gonna go.
by Rayce. on Apr 28, 2010 11:53 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
I think those kicks
showed how much heart Machida has, not necessarily how affective they were (I think they were very affective).
Don’t let anger get in the way of comprehension
Machida has a tremendous amount of heart, which actually counts for a lot.
by The Darkness on Apr 28, 2010 12:05 PM EDT up reply actions
so Machida checks leg kicks with his balls?????
Reason #455 why he is a comic character. Lol
"When i get in there, in his face ,pressin the action,I'm RUFF NECKIN'EM,I'm throwin him around,I'm punchin him,hes punchin me, I'm eatin his shots and I'm Blastin him back in the face he's not goin to be able to handle it ." - Chris Leben on how his fight with Anderson Silva is gonna go.
by Rayce. on Apr 28, 2010 12:10 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Spot on.
These two guys are like Comic book characters- you’ve got people who love both and want them both to succeed, and both seem to have super-human capabilities. In addition, they both have bad-ass names: Shogun? The Dragon? You kidding me?
Now…if I could only get both of them to utter my 2 favorite words in portuguese:
laptop (lapeetopee)
hiphop(hippyhoppy
by Body Triangle on Apr 28, 2010 12:01 PM EDT up reply actions
also good
The best was my girlfriend asking me which “Hocky” movie was my favorite.
I (obviously) said D2, the mighty ducks.
She looked at me confused, and said “No…there are no ducks…just a boxer…and a scary looking man from Hussia!”
Oh. Rocky. Yes, Rocky 4 is my favorite.
by Body Triangle on Apr 28, 2010 12:04 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
lmao
That’s fantastic! !
"When i get in there, in his face ,pressin the action,I'm RUFF NECKIN'EM,I'm throwin him around,I'm punchin him,hes punchin me, I'm eatin his shots and I'm Blastin him back in the face he's not goin to be able to handle it ." - Chris Leben on how his fight with Anderson Silva is gonna go.
by Rayce. on Apr 28, 2010 12:07 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
rec'd for
I (obviously) said D2, the mighty ducks.
ALL OF YOU LISTEN TO MEE, DON'T DISTURB HERE, I WILL CALL POLICE CATCH YOU, DON'T COME TO MY BANGOLOW HOUSE, UNDERSTAND, O.K. I HATE ALL OF YOU.
by Chris Barton on Apr 28, 2010 12:08 PM EDT up reply actions
haha
(in Apu voice)
“You know…it never came up…”
by Body Triangle on Apr 28, 2010 12:15 PM EDT up reply actions
You know
You can get Ivan Dragos boxer trunks on 80’s Tees for 5$ right now…
Rocky and Rocky Balboa were the best movies in that series, though.
ALL OF YOU LISTEN TO MEE, DON'T DISTURB HERE, I WILL CALL POLICE CATCH YOU, DON'T COME TO MY BANGOLOW HOUSE, UNDERSTAND, O.K. I HATE ALL OF YOU.
by Chris Barton on Apr 28, 2010 12:09 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Rec'd for...
liking Rocky Balboa. I loved it, though we appear in the minority.
by Body Triangle on Apr 28, 2010 12:14 PM EDT up reply actions
Nah
It did huge numbers and almost every critic liked or loved it. I fear the next one, yes they are planning another one, will be awful.
ALL OF YOU LISTEN TO MEE, DON'T DISTURB HERE, I WILL CALL POLICE CATCH YOU, DON'T COME TO MY BANGOLOW HOUSE, UNDERSTAND, O.K. I HATE ALL OF YOU.
by Chris Barton on Apr 28, 2010 12:27 PM EDT up reply actions
Stallone seems to have had a creative resurgence, though. Rambo was wonderfully violent, and Rocky Balboa was pretty good. I’m holding out hope for The Expendables, just because the cast has every good action star from the past 30 years (+ Randy Couture, which might be a minus)
Crush a bit, little bit, roll it up, take a hit... Feelin’ lit, feelin’ light, 2 am summer night...
by Anthony Pace on Apr 28, 2010 6:59 PM EDT up reply actions
That was a great movie
it was insane to actually feel the entire theater come alive around me when the training montage started and the music kicked in, I got chills.
It was a MUCH better ending to the series than Rocky V.
Dear lord that was terrible
Seriously
The “That’s how winnings done!” monologue gives me chills.
ALL OF YOU LISTEN TO MEE, DON'T DISTURB HERE, I WILL CALL POLICE CATCH YOU, DON'T COME TO MY BANGOLOW HOUSE, UNDERSTAND, O.K. I HATE ALL OF YOU.
by Chris Barton on Apr 28, 2010 2:17 PM EDT up reply actions
lol
My favorite is handy! Mostly because nog made him look horribly out classed then called him Handy! The irony in that was delicious! !!
"When i get in there, in his face ,pressin the action,I'm RUFF NECKIN'EM,I'm throwin him around,I'm punchin him,hes punchin me, I'm eatin his shots and I'm Blastin him back in the face he's not goin to be able to handle it ." - Chris Leben on how his fight with Anderson Silva is gonna go.
by Rayce. on Apr 28, 2010 12:06 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
The way I remember it
a lot of the second round was spent with Machida against the fence defending a takedown attempt…successfully.
by some schmuck in texas on Apr 28, 2010 12:08 PM EDT reply actions
If Shogun
Could get Machida to the ground that’s one way he could win. Big, big, big IF though. Shogun’s ground and pound is impressive but again I think Shogun’s strategy might be similar in the beginning but he should’ve went for takedowns in the later rounds as he probably would’ve been able to score and solidify a tight match.
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Machida should take him down
Machida has some very underrated wrestling and throws (check out the Tito fight) where he was throwing tito like a rag doll. Machida trained in Sumo and his father was a wrestler and he has very good balance and takedowns.
I think hes just gonna mix it up and be more aggresive. Just add some stuff to the previous fights gameplan to ensure he wins. I also really think he’s gonna try and make sure he goes for it at the end of each round. Just so theres no doubt. Machida will have a mental breakdown once he feels that pain again. He knows in his heart he lost last time.
WARRRRRRR SHOGUN!!!!!!
Mike Goldberg: "You know Joe, When Matt and his brother Mark Hughes were growing up, they would pound each other behind the barn."
What I love about watching Machida fight is that between the action there’s so much tension and energy built up through my anxiety to see something happen. I sit on the edge of my seat the whole time wondering when the action explodes. And when it does it’s always so awesome to see. Shogun Machida I was perfect. I just can’t wait for II.
I also really want to see a rematch with Shogun and Rampage. The first one was one of the most entertaining one-sided destructions I’ve ever seen.
If Shogun proved anything in his first fight, it’s that he is quick enough to react to Machida with effective counterstriking. His gameplan isn’t as important for this fight because he can always fall back on what was working. I don’t see a lot of pressure on Rua to take this fight to the ground. I expect each fighter to get more aggressive in the middle rounds and hopefully Shogun can get a historic TKO, the first time Machida’d been stopped.
Maybe everyone can clear this up for me… in the first fight I couldn’t tell who was initiating the majority of the striking exchanges and who was counter-striking.
my take
was that Shogun was taking the center of the ring and cutting off Machida’s mobility by backing him toward the cage. That was forcing Machida to lunge in for head punches and body kicks. Shogun would then counter-strike with kicks to the legs and body.
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That’s what I thought as well. I got the sense that Shogun completely threw Machida off his game. I can’t make up my mind as to why Machida continued to throw strikes first throughout the fight rather than wait to counter-strike. Did he think he was winning the exchanges? Was he getting impatient?
I can’t get over how much of a shock it was to see Shogun using such a disciplined counter-striking strategy and I wonder if Machida had the same reaction during the fight.
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