In the UFC, the champion of the light heavyweight division is Rashad Evans, and the top two challengers for the light heavyweight crown are Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and Lyoto Machida. On a call today to promote his next fight, Jackson said he doesn't think highly of Machida's approach to fighting.
"Lyoto is a weird fighter," Jackson said. "He's kind of boring. I think that style works for him, the way he makes people run after him. I mean, he's good, he's undefeated, but he's boring. If I was the promoter of a show I wouldn't have guys like that fighting on my show."
Machida is frequently criticized for being boring, but it's usually fans -- not his fellow fighters -- who criticize Machida that way. Rampage (who usually refrains from expressing opinions about other fighters) is unusual in his willingness to openly criticize Machida that way.
Personally, I don't think Machida is boring, I just think his elusive style is unique. In fact, I think a Machida-Rampage fight would be extremely exciting, because it would match the guy who might have the best punching power in MMA with the guy who might be the hardest to punch in MMA. Contrasting styles like that often make the same fights, and Rampage vs. Machida -- which could very well happen within the next year -- would certainly not be boring.
Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Rampage must have missed Machida's last fight. He was far from boring.
Kinda off topic: But how amazing would it be if there was like an 8-man light heavyweight tourney that lasted the whole year? Each round every 3 months. Off the top of my head lineup:
1. Rashad Evans
2. Rampage Jackson
3. Lyoto Machida
4. Forest Griffin
5. Wanderlie Silva
6. Chuck Liddell
7. Shogun Rua
8. Thiago Silva
Imagine how awesome that would be? UFC needs to step up.
Rampage said in another interview that he didn't even know who Damian Maia was, so I wouldn't take his opinion of other fighters too seriously. I realize that Rampage may pay closer attention to the fighters in his division ... but still ...
VN - I enjoy tournaments, but in many cases injuries and other reasons keep us from knowing the true tournament champ (ex: Dream's recent lightweight tourny).
Are we to assume that Lyoto will get the next title shot and not Rampage? Assuming Rampage wins with no serious injury.
If Rampage beats Jardine with no serious injuries, he will fight Rashad Evans next. If Rampage loses or is seriously injured, Machida will fight Rashad Evans next. Evans' first title defense is likely to come at UFC 100 in July.
VN/Eric, The LHW division is already kinda of like a tournament already. The way the belt has been changing hands and the infrequency of title defenses.
Machida last two fights were great. His fight against Tito is a classic. His last performance was stellar against a killer Silva.
Does anyone have information on the fact that GSP cheated BJ Penn in there fight earlier this month. Information on whether there is going to be sanctions against the cheater GSP
jmandsonspaint -
Did you actually see the fight between GSP and BJ? Even if he was greased, GSP was dominating him damn near the whole fight. I would be very careful in calling him a "cheater"
I agree with the whole tournament idea, I think it would be a great idea. However I think some of the fighters you listed should start thinking about retiring.
Chuck Lidell - Great fighter but gets knocked out WAY to much these days
Wanderlei Silva - Great fighter, but the knockouts are starting to affect him
Shogun Rua - Great fighter as well, but his lost to Forrest Griffin didn't help
All in all I think the 155 PD weight class is very exciting, however there are ALOT of fighters that are up and coming, who are awesome. Thiago Silva is gonna be champ soon in my opinion. I really don't like him and would like to see the belt back on Forrest Griffin.
Shogun is 27 yrs old, he has only lost 3, and has never been knocked out.
He says that injuries have kept him from being in great condition, but that he is healthy now ... if he looks great against Chuck then maybe the Shogun of old is back.
I think for anyone that has a problem with lyoto machida it would be worth keeping some things in mind. Anderson Silva who trains with lyoto machida has said that lyoto is the best light heavyweight and I think Anderson's opinion carries quite a bit of credibility. There is also the obvious fact that lyoto is undefeated. Also if anyone saw the rashad evans vs. tito ortiz fight they will remember that it went to a draw and in fact tito having a point taken away is what prevented rashad from losing to him. Now compare that to the fight between lyoto vs. tito. Some may say well rashad has gotten better since then well so has machida so I think that if rashad fights lyoto then it would not be a stretch to say that lyoto may walk away from that fight with the belt. If Rampage fights rashad than I would be surprised if Evans remains champion. Evans is a great fighter but I just don't see how he can beat rampage or lyoto, maybe but I don't see how. It is strange timing for Rampage to be saying this kind of stuff now, lyoto just ko'd an undefeated thiago silva in the first round and totally dominated the whole round till then. I think it would really be a good idea if a rampage vs. machida fight were to happen and after what rampage just said I think it should happen. I don't think a lyoto vs. rashad evans fight would be hard to promote either. Rampage has a right to his opinion but I do think it is disrespectfull to lyoto to say those things about him.
Yes it is true that Rampage usually refrains from commenting on other fighters so his comments are a bit curious. The cynic in me sees his words as more calculated than real. That is, if Rampage beats Evans (as is generally expected) then look for a Rampage/Machida fight later in the year. To be honest I'd take Machida for his technical prowess (and for admittedly selfish reasons). From a technical standpoint a fight between Anderson Silva and Machida at Light Heavyweight would be dream fight. Two top five pfp fighters and tacticians at the top of their game would make for great theater. :-)
I agree with Rampage 100%. I have been saying for a while now that Machida is the most boring fighter in the entire sport. The fun thing is that he is so dominant but still seems to be so polarizing amongst fans. His fight against Thiago Silva went a long way to prove that he can be exciting but I still think of him as a very boring fighter. Look at his UFC career and you will see everyone of his wins as a decision victory excluding the Sokodoju and Silva fights. The guy is awful for a fight promoter.
I'm not saying Machida is a bad fighter or anything like that but his style isn't conducive to entertainment. This is a sport but it's also entertainment and he isn't entertaining in any way.
To all of you discussing Lyoto's abilities and being or not interesting to promoters etc, I would like to add this comment:
I have been training and acting as a coach and even as a mentor to lots of young talent-rich teens from different parts of the world (lately in Scandinavia, as I sort of reside in Norway), and I have my own view about Lyoto, and therefore I believe martical arts lovers arond the world should start getting used to Lyoto as one-of-a-kind MMA figther. He not only has the solid background of a good mix of best techniques from different martial arts, but he also has what most fighters lack: the powerful element of humbleness from a family stable platform, based on respect for the other. His family support, shaped a lot by one of the still remaining real Japanese samurais, his father, Yoshizo Machida.
The father Machida,spent all life long learning and teaching important tricks from counter-attack techniques to thousands of fighters around the world, and is today Lyoto's main mentor, the guy who does not stand as the corner inLyotos' fights, but who is in Lyoto's mind before, during and after any fight.
I persoanlly have had the privillege to be the guy who introduced Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to Lyoto when he was already a 15-year-old karate champion in Brzil. I know him well, his life style, his fighting abilities, and his humbleness.
So, I kindly as you readers permission to state my view that what we are all seeing is not a boring fighter, is a champion we are not used to YET. Winning or losing a fight, Lyoto is a person we martial arts lovers should be proud of as he brings us all a unique way of fighting, a style we are not used to YET, and roll model to lots of potential fighters and teens around the world, when it concerns an ordinary humanbeing.
Thanks to ou all for keeping the debate moving.
carloscaju@gmail.com
Lyoto is not a boring fighter. You know what makes it boring to you guys? The fighter that's fighting him because they know if they try to go after him they'll get knocked out. When Lyoto fought Thiago, you could see how many times Thiago kept getting hit and how he was rocked twice before getting knocked out at the end. He tried to go after Lyoto and ended up getting counter punched every time. That's why some fighters like to play it safe against him. So who's boring now?
Look at Tito, he tried for some takedowns and such but he ended up getting taken down by Lyoto. Tito didn't even put the pressure on Lyoto during that fight.
All you people who think he's boring, you just don't understand his game plan. He also plays by the rules, which is why he always scores the most on the judges score card. MMA is more than just knockouts and submissions, hence the name.
They should've put Lyoto against Rampage instead of Rampage against Rashad Evans. Let's see if Rampage can back his words.
Sorry MDS, I have to call BS on your here. You like and even appear to appove of Machida's running away almost never finish a fight style here, yet you drop Anderson Silva in the rankings for not finishing Leites who clearly was diving to his back to avoid being KO'd on his feet all the while Silva basically had to chase the guy around the ring and the ref stood Leites up a record 14 times? But it's OK when Machida runs from his opponents and doesn't finish a fight yet some how Silva loses credibility when he can't finish cause he has to chase is opponent around the ring?