UFC 98: Enter The Dragon Machida

Lyoto Machida overwhelms Rashad Evans

In one of the most stunning and exciting outcomes in UFC history, the light-heavyweight belt changed hands in just two rounds of a masterful display by the challenger. It wasn’t exactly unexpected as the online voting had something like 63% of the fans of the opinion that Machida would win it against 37% for Evans.

Round 1 seemed to confirm people’s belief as in the last minute Machida kicked Evans to the right side of the body and followed up with a straight left punch to the face, knocking down the defending champion. Evans did get up and survived the first round.

Besides Machida’s left kick to the body of Evans at 2:00, practically nothing happened in the first three minutes, as both fighters were still probing, waiting for each other to make the first significant attack and counter – which is a big part of both fighters’ styles.

At 3:03, Machida struck with a left roundhouse kick to the head of Evans, then Evans came back but missed with a left overhand right.
At 1:21, Machida let go of a quick left straight punch and right straight that didn’t do any damage.

Round 1 obviously went Machida’s way.
In Round 2, both fighters again took some time to warm up. In 3:30, there was an exchange of punches but not many landed. At 2:22, Machida missed with a right frontal kick to the body. At 2:13, a left roundhouse kick to the body by Evans missed. But then, with 1:28 left in the fateful round, a hook to the jaw of Evans started it all. Evans crumpled. Machida got side mount and landed several right straights to the head of Evans. Evans struggled to get back on his feet and got as far as the Octagon fence where Machida kept abusing him with punches to the head. A right hook to the jaw and a left to the other side knocked Evans senseless, falling on his back like a limp rag doll.

If Evans had not fallen properly, there would have been a repeat of the terrible accident that broke Mirko Filipovic’s ankle in UFC 70 when he fell after getting tagged with a right roundhouse kick to the head by Gabriel Gonzaga.

The Lyoto Machida legend has been cemented. He had earned the reputation of being the most elusive fighter ever in mixed martial arts. Translation: Hard to hit. Very hard to hit. He has a knack for dealing so much pain while remaining unscathed. Ironically, that also earned him a lot of skeptics and naysayers had a field day sniping at him. They accused him of being afraid to engage in an offensive attack. Until yesterday, that is.

Well, Machida’s destruction of Thiago Silva (in one round) and Evans (in two) in succession should cancel out that criticism. Elusiveness equals good defense. And it makes a lot of sense. Why should you get hit in the process of hitting someone? MMA is not Christian charity. It is a black eye for a black eye, a broken tooth for a broken tooth. But if you can avoid getting hurt while beating up on someone, why not take that blessing?

Machida is a very quick and powerful striker. His martial-art base being karate, he is a natural striker. Add to his arsenal a black belt in Brazilian jiujitsu, sumo and muay Thai training, and maybe also in other arts, make him one well-rounded mugger.

In the post-fight interview with Joe Rogan, a jubilant Machida shouted: “My art is karate. Karate is back. Machida karate! The Dragon is the champion!”

Indeed, and if he stays elusive as an eel with the sting of a stingray, it will be sometime before he gives up the UFC lightheavyweight championship belt.