Lyoto Machida vs Shogun Rua

24 hours after the fight.

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Well that was quick. Glad Rua got the win...like everyone else, I thought he got robbed last time. Still, that was more than a little anticlimactic for it to end THAT quickly.

 

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what a beautiful punch that was. i was talking to infrazael about this, and we've both agreed that machida has been shown to be rather unable to adapt to different situations, leading to shogun's total mindraping of his counter-striking style (machida's insistence on which was probably one of the biggest reasons he got WTFPWN't, since if you can't get the ko on the first shot, and the guy closes distance, you can't counter crap, so you either switch or suffer massive existence failure; or in machida's case, get your face murdered by rua)

 

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Interestingly, one commentator mentions that Mr. Rua found an exploit in Mr. Machida's technique.

Thoughts?

 

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My drinking **** theory failed ! Oh well I will give it to shogun he went in lookin for the kill.

 

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what if machida starts drinking rua's **** now?

 

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Hikite FAIL.

(hikite = "pulling hand" for folks who don't know karate)

 

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He may have to now, very disappointed in Machida

 

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i'm not really disappointed in him, just bummed that he can't or won't vary his game plan. he probably got stuck on ZOMG I MUST DO SHOTOKAN and forgot all his close range stuff, like what he used against tito, whereas shogun trained smartly and fought smartly, then saw a chance and took it

 

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I was actually a Shogun fan before Machida (yes I watched that Pride Grand) Prix

But I was rooting for Machida. Hopefully he'll be back. He's a really good fighter, but he has a lot of detractors. They'll all be celebrating and saying "yep I knew someone would 'expose' him..." But the only reason they will be celebrating so hard is because he made them wait soooo long for a loss.

Still a Machida fan!!!

 

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Yeah, as disappointing as his performance was, I wouldn't write him off. Let's remember that GSP doesn't have an undefeated record either.

 

That's a good point, and I agree.

 

I'm really disappointed by Machida's loss. I was hoping to see him make some strong adjustments from the last fight, and maybe he tried, but Shogun had his number. Did anyone notice how Machida tried to check the leg kick and then throw his own off the opposite foot??? That was ....interesting.

 

Mitlove I also noticed Machida drop his hands. I never really mentioned it before because he always leaned back out of the way of punches. In Muay thai I've seen lots of guys kick and not keep their hands up. A good muay thai fighter will always punch that face. When I work my kicks that's the one thing I really try to keep my hands up. still don't always do it but I'm aware of that opening.

Interestingly that's not what one the fight for Rua. It was Rua's ability to throw a diaganol right hand over Machida's punch. Bam square in the face. That wasn't something i saw coming, beautiful.

eltgire I noticed that Machida kicked right after checking a kick. Y'know agree or disagree with me that's kinda why I hate karate. Cuz Karate guys kick from all sorts of angles their kicks have a higher rate of landing but they usually don't pack that much power. switching to kick with your base leg after checking a kick works especially if you want a quick counter but the way Machida switched up without resetting just knaws at my fight sensibilities.

Hey when it comes to kicks and knees keep it Muay Thai for me man. I'll take a hard shin kick to the legs over any spinning side kick or off balance kick any day of the week.

 

I train in isshinryu and all of our kicks are belt level or lower. I forget that people associate the flying, spinning kicks with karate, even though other styles use them. I typically associate that more with TKD. We also use more of a boxing guard when sparring. I see a lot of styles do the hand-on-hip/kiba dachi stance or open handed guard . I'm nowhere near elusive enough to spar with my hands down.

 

Shotokan incorporates many high kicks if I am not mistaken...

 

Here's what I saw. Machida threw a left & missed. Shogun threw a right & landed. It could have gone the other way. Once you are at a certain level, it's like we've said before, the flick - 'Any Given Sunday'.
Rua earned the belt. Hit hit him a beautiful shot & finished him like a champion should. He left no doubts. That's the way it should be in a championship fight. You don't want to leave it for the judges.

Thanks,
Tom

 

Oh my bad I wasn't being clear. Basically I'm biased in favor of Muay Thai. Just into hard shin kicks. I'm not necessarily talking about Karate kicks in general at least on my last few statements. I was talking about non-Muay Thai kicks in general. Pardon me for 1, lumping in Karate kicks with other types of kicks and 2, for not pausing to point out when I was done analyzing Machida's kicking style before segue into my MUAY THAI KICKS ASS! Comment.

O YEA MUAY THAI KICKS ASS!! Literally

BTW I know Rua won that fight with a right hand and not Muay Thai per se. But Muay Thai STILL KICKS ASS!

 

Muay Thai at least now in this day and age consist of overhand rights.

 

Personally I think that Shogun has Machida's number. I don't think that Machida has the power to rock Shogun (dude has a great chin), and if you re-watch the fight about twice Machida backs off and looks like he 'felt' some of shogun's shots before the finish.

Both guys didn't want to leave it in the hands of the judges and came out more aggressive, but quite simply that is Shogun's forte.

War Shogun!

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FX8deealksY"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FX8deealksY[/ame]

 

I don't think anyone should be dissapointed with Machida. He is a world class fighter and he got beat by another world class fighter, who was in danger of falling into obscurity.