H O M EUPDATE: Luke Rockhold defeated Lyoto Machida via Submission (rear-naked choke)
This is an expected to be headlined by a middleweight bout between former UFC Light Heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida and former Strikeforce Middleweight champion Luke Rockhold.
Lyoto Machida (22-5 MMA, 14-5 UFC) and Luke Rockhold (13-2 MMA, 3-1 UFC) seems to be closely matched contest.
My fight Analysis, I don't think age will be a big factor for Machida. I think Rockhold has a slight edge overall and will probably take the decision either unanimous or by split. I really don't see either one knocking out or submitting the other.
I'm looking for a Rockhold TKO. His fight IQ is pretty high... I think he takes a page from Weidman's book and cuts Machida off until he gets a finish. I think Machida's best chance is either bringing something we've never seen or scoring a TKO of his own with his patented karate blitz.
Rockhold doesn't go to decision very often! When he does, it's typically in his favor.
I can see both of those situations happening. With your comment on about Machidas youth, I feel age is less important in mma than most make it to be. What really matters is mileage and even though that's really hard to quantify there shouldn't be too much of a difference. Machida has more fights but rarely takes damage. His worst was the first shogun fight and never took a beating since.
So watch the fight replay now.
(Free embeddable highlights video hosted on Youtube)
(Free embeddable highlights video hosted on UFC ON FOX’s official Youtube channel)
#2 part (video hosted at this page on Facebook)
Rockhold is good but lets look at his last three fights:
1) Costas, a guy who was finishing fights constantly until his move to UFC where AFAIK he hasn't finished anyone of note... maybe Boetsch but that guy is over-the-hill imo and I don't know how he keeps getting high profile fights himself.
2) Tim Boetsch, other than a TKO over a guy who is mainly creating decision fights over no one of note (maybe Marquardt, who's been loosing a lot lately) what has he done in the past 3 years besides losing to everyone except upstarts in the division?
3) Michael Bisping, probably the only noteworthy win in 2014 from Rockhold and impressive considering really no one ever submits "The Count", this is the only thing that convinces me he'll have a chance of finishing Machida and that's by going to the ground.
Yes he beat Souza and Kennedy but both by decision no finishes and both of them are easily top tier fighters. Lastest top tier he faced, Belfort, made short work of him.
So saying he is going to finish a guy who has only been finish by a lucky right from Shogun (lets be honest here), one of the P4P best today, and survived against the "Blueprint" against Weidman himself... really?
Is he a good matchup for Machida? He's a lovely match-up and this fight will be something that both fighters need to win if they ever want a title shot.
To top it off two of Machida's decision losses were absolute bull, one where the opponent admitted he got his ass kicked, but the judges don't like Machida.
If it goes to decision Rockhold will most definitely get it if some sort of ass whopping by Machida wasn't involved and just didn't get the KO.
Conversely Machida has pretty much rolled everyone in MW who isn't Chris Weidman and had a beautiful fight with Mousasi proving this is his best weight to fight at.
It could go either way but as far as finishing goes I highly doubt Rockhold will finish the Dragon on the feet, a little more likely on the ground. If anything, Rockhold via decision.
Loyoto will either finish this standing or loose the decision to Rockhold, unless (as stated before) it ends up being Rockhold surviving an ass beating from all the karate flurries.
Overall the fight is way too close to call. Neither have been at MW in the UFC long enough for any trends to really set.
Fight Results:
Middleweight Luke Rockhold def. Lyoto Machida Submission (rear-naked choke)
Middleweight Ronaldo Souza def. Chris Camozzi Verbal Submission (armbar)
Featherweight Cub Swanson vs. Max Holloway
Women's Strawweight Paige VanZant def. Felice Herrig Decision (unanimous) (30-27, 30-26, 30-26) 3 5:00
Lightweight Beneil Dariush def. Jim Miller Decision (unanimous) (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) 3 5:00
Light Heavyweight Ovince Saint Preux def. Patrick Cummins KO (punches) 1 4:54
Light Heavyweight Gian Villante def. Corey Anderson TKO (punches) 3 4:18
Bantamweight Aljamain Sterling def. Takeya Mizugaki Submission (arm-triangle choke) 3 2:11
Welterweight Tim Means def. George Sullivan Submission (arm-triangle choke) 3 3:41
Featherweight Diego Brandão def. Jimy Hettes TKO (doctor stoppage) 1 5:00
Middleweight Chris Dempsey def. Eddie Gordon Decision (split) (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) 3 5:00
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