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Does Lyoto Machida "deserve" a second shot at Jon Jones with that split decision win over Dan Henderson? If not, how would you book the next title fight and No. 1 contender fight?
RICH HANSEN, MMATORCH COLUMNIST
Let's say the Twins make the wild card game of Major League Baseball (fat chance!) and face off against the Rangers. Let's say the Twins make four errors (more likely), give up four unearned runs (quite likely), make multiple baserunning mistakes (I can see that), and win 5-4 in the ugliest game of all-time. They still move on, no? Because, that's sorta kinda completely EXACTLY what Lyoto Machida did against Dan Henderson. Either you beat the #1 contender and you move on (like Machida did last weekend), or you lose to the #1 contender and you fall back, (like Henderson did last weekend).
See, if this is a sport (I wonder more and more with each passing day), then you only have one set of judges to convince. There aren't two judging panels; one to score winner and losers, one to score artistic content. If style points matter to you, maybe you should watch gymnastics and figure skating. You know, those non-sports that your girlfriend thinks are so cool every fourth year. Maybe that's more your speed.
Lyoto Machida BEAT DAN HENDERSON! Okay? How many freaking guys can say that? Machida avoided the right hand, was never in any trouble, and implemented his scientific and duller than shit gameplan perfectly. That is to be commended. The most important part of fighting is NOT GETTING HIT! How hard is that for the troglodytes to understand? Don't like it? Don't watch it.
It's really, really, REALLY damn hard to win a fight when you're unconscious. What should Machida have done? Taken 42 uninterrupted overhand rights from Henderson, and THEN decided to fight? Here's a newsflash, "LET ME BANG, BRO," doesn't f***ing work in MMA.
Either you win and move forward, or you lose and fall back.*
<1>*-The legal department wishes it to be said that this message was in no way sponsored by Bjorn Rebney, Viacom, or Jon Fitch.
FRANK HYDEN, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR
I suppose he deserves it because who else is more deserving? This fight just proved, though, that he's going to lose to Jon Jones again. His win over Henderson looked like most of his other fights, he did nothing different. He looks like the exact same fighter that lost to Jones the first time. When it comes to rematches I always ask, "What's different this time?" The answer here is absolutely nothing. The result of their first fight was Machida getting choked out. What's different this time? Nothing. He might not get choked out this time, but he's going to get finished. I see no improvement in Machida, therefore I see no difference in the outcome.
BRAD WALKER, MMATORCH COLUMNIST
Lyoto Machida doesn't deserve a single thing, because in any sane mans mind he lost that fight. In total strikes Dan Henderson outstruck Machida 54 to 28. Body strikes? 29 to 9 for Hendo. Legs? 16 to 1 also for Hendo. Sure, Machida landed more "significant" strikes by 7 but volume, cage control and effectiveness all should have been scored for Henderson. Not to mention the tie 1-1 on takedowns. I don't see any way to explain this as a win for Machida, it was very much Carlos Condit's style against Nick Diaz, pretend to engage and run away. Machida did nothing significant beyond his trip takedown as opposed to Henderson who chewed up Machida's front leg. It was a ghastly fight that bored the daylights out of me, and maybe the judges dozed off and circumstantially scored it for the guy who lost. I say we make a rematch happen, because outside of this Henderson has no path to a title shot before retirement and he really got screwed here by the judges.
TONY BECERRA, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR
I heard many complaints about how Lyoto Machida "Machidad" his way to another victory. The truth is he is not unbeatable (Rua/Jackson/Jones have proven it) and Dan Henderson did not come in with an effective game plan to win the fight. At some point in the fight your corner should be advising you to look for something other than the overhand right. Dana White said Lyoto is now the number 1 contender, and I believe he is... until he's not. I wouldn't be surprised to see White make another fight for Machida depending on the outcome of the Jones-Sonnen fight. I think a more interesting title fight would be Jones vs Cormier assuming they both come out victorious in their next fights and Cormier drops down to 205. As for Lyoto, I can see a number 1 contender's bout versus Alexander Gustafsson.
MIKE BACIOR, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR
I'm just so disillusioned with UFC title contention. Whoever the UFC brass feels like should get a title shot will get one next, regardless of anything Dana White says now. It's all ridiculous. For MMA to be a legitimate sport there needs to be some sort of organized formula for determining title contention, even if it leads to people receiving multiple shots.
ERIC HOBAUGH, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Any time I think of deserving fighters who should have been given title shots, I think back to how many times fighters like John Fitch were passed over. Now, because he spoke the truth regarding his feelings about the UFC, he was let go. My point on both being , Dana White can and will make any fight he wants and no one can say one damn thing. Chael Sonnen is on TUF and fighting for a title in a weight class he was not even in! If you wrote it in a movie script, they would not make the movie, because it is so unbelievable. It dilutes the sport and disrespects the fighters who have sacrificed their life and the lives of their families for a title shot. Years of hard work can be for not if White deems a fighter ‘not sellable.’ I think Jones will murder Sonnen and Jones will then fight Anderson Silva. As ridiculous is it sounds, I think the UFC will make the No.1 contender fight between Machida and Sonnen.
DAN MOORE, MMATORCH UK CONTRIBUTOR
There can be no disputing Lyoto Machida is now the No 1 contender at Light Heavyweight. However after his performance against Dan Henderson this weekend, no one but Machida himself is going to be overly excited at that thought. Thankfully there is no rush to book him in a fight with Jon Jones (or Chael Sonnen!).
If Alexander Gustafsson convincingly beats Gegard Mousasi in Sweden this April, then Machida could ultimately find himself pushed out. If the Swede doesn't win that fight, it only leaves Daniel Cormier as an alternative providing he beats Frank Mir. Even if he does win, he'll probably need at least one fight at 205 lbs to prove he can make weight safely. So if Gustafsson wins well, he's next. If he doesn't then Machida is getting another crack at JBJ.
[Lyoto Machida art by Grant Gould (c) MMATorch.com]
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