Machida Offered Fight With Ortiz

by Michael Rome on Jan 5, 2008 6:00 PM EST in MMA News

In a very interesting move, the UFC has offered Lyoto Machida a fight with Tito Ortiz.

If Tito accepts, it'll probably happen after the conclusion of The Apprentice. If Tito does well, his popularity may pour over into this event.

Tito may not accept, because his contract is tied to buyrates and Machida is a non-draw. However, he needs a win, and beating Machida would put him back into title contention. If this fight is made, I think most people in the MMA internet community will pick Machida, but I think this is a good fight for Tito. Machida is relatively untested against big, strong wrestlers.

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Re: Machida Offered Fight With Ortiz

What about the Evans vs. Ortiz 2.
That was a shitty draw, I would like to see those two going at it again.

by marcio on Jan 5, 2008 6:47 PM EST reply actions

Re: Machida Offered Fight With Ortiz

And after Machida wins, he'll still be untested against big, strong wrestlers...

by MoreThanUFC on Jan 5, 2008 7:44 PM EST reply actions

Re: Machida Offered Fight With Ortiz

How many Brazilians must you incorrectly pick before some of your confidence goes down? This will be a tough fight for Machida. He's probably not going to knock tito out, so he'll have to outwrestle him.

You may think Tito is overrated, I do too for the most part, but if he is not a big strong wrestler, who is?

by Michael Rome on Jan 5, 2008 7:53 PM EST reply actions

Re: Machida Offered Fight With Ortiz

I've gotta agree. You can say what you want about his skills...but Tito is a wrestler...and he is strong...and he ain't small. 6'2" and he makes a pretty sizable cut to 205.

by Brent Brookhouse on Jan 5, 2008 11:24 PM EST up reply actions

Re: Machida Offered Fight With Ortiz

50 lbs of it is head.

I dont see Tito as strong at all. Not in a Matt Hughes or QRJ sense. His back has limited his training. He is not what he once was. And he is a 'big' 205er, but they all are. The weight class below the open weight class ( HW in our case ) is always filled with guys making the cut in almost all weight class sports.

In the last seven years, Tito is 6-3-1. 3 wins over hasbeen Shamrock, a very young Cote, a controversial win over Forrest, and a legit win over Belfort. Take away the two fanbouts with Shammy and the overmatch with Cote, and he's 3-3-1. The only fighter with nearly as bad credentials yet still hyped is Penn, and at least he deserves it.

To put Tito's recent bs career into perspective, in the same seven years, Crocop is 22-6 with wins over the best in his class, yet ppl act like he's dead.

In the last four years, Machida has beat Franklin, Penn ( the greatest at any weight class ~~ ), Nakamura, Bonnar, and Soko. He's earning his place in the sun.

Someone tell me why Tito is even signifigant anymore?

by MoreThanUFC on Jan 6, 2008 12:05 PM EST up reply actions

Re: Machida Offered Fight With Ortiz

You don't think he can sprawl, avoid takedowns, and outpoint him on the feet?

by MikeyPatriot on Jan 6, 2008 1:21 AM EST up reply actions

Re: Machida Offered Fight With Ortiz

I mean, anything is possible, but Tito is a very good wrestler. He outwrestled Rashad Evans in a fight intended to neutralize his skills. Machida did a good job sweeping Sokoudjou in the first round at 79, but Sokoudjou did trip him to get him down. People hate on Tito so much that he's become extremely underrated. This may be Tito's last chance at a major run, I think he'll be very motivated coming in.

If Machida wins he'll have to do it the way you say. However, winning a boring points fight is not going to get him into a title shot. If he can submit Tito or finish him, then I think he's right in line.

by Michael Rome on Jan 6, 2008 1:32 AM EST reply actions

Re: Machida Offered Fight With Ortiz

I'm curious if Tito will accept the fight. Does he still have the drive to train for a difficult fight with a guy with little name recognition outside the hardcore fan.
I'm guessing they made this fight to prop Machida up in the casual viewers mind.
I wonder if it will backfire on them though if Machida just eeks out a decision victory and adds more questions than it answers.

by pr0cs on Jan 6, 2008 10:34 AM EST reply actions

Re: Machida Offered Fight With Ortiz

I'll say it again and again, if you think Machida is boring, then you dont know MMA. If his mental approach, his tacticity, his precision doesnt excite you, then go watch Frye-Thompson.

by MoreThanUFC on Jan 6, 2008 11:38 AM EST reply actions

Re: Machida Offered Fight With Ortiz

I'm a very big fan of Tito Ortiz, but you are 100% correct about Machida. I think people who train have tremendous respect for Machida that comes from times where you're sparring, someone has you in cross body and you're thinking of a way out. It doesn't look that pretty to the uninitiated, but that can be a very tense moment.

by Luke Thomas on Jan 6, 2008 12:11 PM EST up reply actions

Re: Machida Offered Fight With Ortiz

I dig Machida and have been a defender of his on the site. All I was saying was that I think Tito qualifies as a "big, strong wrestler" regardless of where he stands now skill and relevance in the division.

by Brent Brookhouse on Jan 6, 2008 12:34 PM EST up reply actions