That's right, I think Ryu has the tools to defeat Dhalsim. Yea yea, "Shogun beat Machida TWICE! Did you not see what Bones did to Shogun?!? Did you not SEE? A carrot! To a BUS!"

Yea, I saw it. I was shrieking "WHAT THE FUCK IS HAPPENING HERE?!?!" As Jones proceeded to crumple my Curatiban Champion like a Diet Pepsi can, my confidence in Shogun's ability to give Jones a Chute Box beating in style along with it. I along with legions of Shogun fans were left clutching our tiny little Chute Shorts, jaws hanging in disbelief. Shogun, already TKO'd, was tapping to strikes, unnecessarily. It's as if he just wanted to show how bad of an asswupping we actually were seeing, in case we weren't picking up on it. How could Machida even stand a chance against a man who so thoroughly decimated the man who decimated him? (Decimated!)

Styles make Fights. And Machida has the Style, Son.

THE DISTANCE

See where he's standing? Just outside of Thiago's range, patiently waiting for a strike to be thrown, a movement to be made. This is where he stands with everyone, controlling the distance like no other. Once his opponent commits, he lunges in with an attack, and is within range of reprisal only while he himself is striking. It will be no different with Jones, as Machida uses his distance and patience to confound the young champion. Jones has been feasting on "In the pocket" fighters and Machida will be a drastic change of style that Jones will not be so easily able to employ his reach advantage upon.

I have seen the opinion that Machida needs to be more aggressive than usual in order to bring it to Jones, but I say the opposite. He needs to get back to his old, patient ways, and bait Jones into attacking him from further away than he is used to, creating openings for counters. Once Jones commits, Machida should use his freakish footwork and Broken Rhythm to get inside and unleash a Machida Flurry.

I never get sick of this.

Getting on the inside with success will take away Jones' effective outside range and bait him to grab Machida, which (despite popular opinion) is something Te Dragohn will welcome.

THE SUMO

That's Tito Ortiz Machida is tossing like a ragdoll there, in case you were wondering. Do you know who has the highest Takedown Defense percentage in Light Heavyweight (3rd Overall)? Machida. You know why?

Oh yea.

Machida probably has the most underrated wrestling game in MMA today. If he gets his over/under bodylock on it is virtually impossible to score a takedown, and Jones will find himself stifled time after time. Evans, Ortiz, SIlva, Rampage, and Randy all had basically zero success at taking Machida down and keeping him there. Jones is indeed a singular talent in that regard, but is it enough to manhandle Machida? I think not. For once, Jones will not be allowed to dictate where the fight takes place. How will he react to that?

THE PEE

Drinking your own piss makes you very strong. Lyoto Machida drinks his own piss. Jon Jones does not.

Case closed.

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