Just under a week away before fight fans will be able to quickly forget the less-than-memorable sequel in the land of lederhosen (actually only a small percentage of Deutchen in the South wear them), deemed UFC 122 last weekend. Luckily, UFC 123 is only a week later and features a rather stacked collection of fighters, headlined by fan favorites Lyoto Machida and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. There’s a good chance the UFC will be forgiven for their lackluster efforts in Germany.
Let’s examine the ins and outs of the main event, a contest between two former light-heavyweight champions searching for the light at the end of the tunnel. Even if both fighters possess different levels of passion for the sport–Machida eager to get back in the title hunt and Rampage coming to terms with the fact that headlining UFC events is more likely to bring in the green-backs than a horribly predictable “blockbuster” and a string of B-movies–it’s an oddly compelling headliner.
One intriguing question mark hovers above Machida’s ability to bounce back after a disastrous fight with Mauricio “Shogun” Rua. After that loss, he experienced a couple of “firsts” in his career he’d rather soon forget–the first loss, the first time getting finished and the first time suffering a knockout loss in his career. The optimist would remind the Japanese-Brazilian that this upcoming battle with Jackson is riddled with more potential landmarks, a chance to prove to the world that his heart beats to the tune of champions.
In many ways, having a successful return to the octagon–the same pressure cooker that will provoke maddening flashbacks of returning to consciousness, only to see his golden symbol of hard work in the hands of another competitor–can be more impressive than defending the title while being undefeated.
What does the Lyoto-san have to do against Rampage in order to reclaim and rebuild the faux “karate era” that so many overly excited pundits (including myself, guilty as charged) had dubbed as the next big thing after he dropped Rashad Evans like a sack of potatoes?
New fans to the sport might be concerned with Machida’s chances, even having the odds levied against him, after learning he swills urine and trains with western movie monk Steven Seagal (post ponytail too). After digesting that bit of news, you might be wondering if Machida will be “Hard to Kill” or “Under Siege” from Rampage’s vicious hooks this Saturday night. I had to–forgive me Father, for I have sinned….
Now that I have repented for my corny Seagal humor, I’m here to assure you that Machida has the tools to make Rampage look bad–please go do more remakes bad. Stylistically, this fight has been handed to Machida on a silver platter. What better opponent for a top counter-striker than a guy that goes forward and swings for the fences like Rampage?
If there is one thing the Mr. T impersonator does poorly in all of his fights, it’s checking leg kicks. Instead of relieving weight off his lead leg, Rampage keeps it planted in the mat, intensifying every shot to his leg. Machida, a life-long student in a discipline that focuses heavily on kicks and punches, should be able to nullify Rampage’s shoot and speed by turning his knee and thigh into puddy.
Another important strategic advantage Machida must utilize during the fight will be keeping the distance, an art he’s mastered after years of perfecting his elusive style. There should be plenty of hard accurate strikes–coming from all angles–landing on Rampage’s dome. With that said, the Tennessee native’s chin is one of the more durable in the game–unlike his cardio.
To make matters worse, if the fight reaches the deep waters of the third round, Rampage has been known to slow down drastically–becoming an even easier target. Look for Machida’s strengths to really accelerate once Rampage is chugging around like a car with a flat tire and a blow gasket.
All elite fighters have the ability to wield an upset.
Saying Rampage has a puncher’s chance is an understatement; the guy has been cited by many as a thunderous puncher. I just don’t see Machida giving Rampage the chance to connect–he has too many weapons fueled with heart. MMA is hard enough to master: nearly impossible when your mind is not in the game.
Can a brotha get a hadouken!?!
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