Analysis
Machida’s style stymied Ortiz most of the way. Ortiz wasn’t able to take him down, and standing, Machida used his point karate style to avoid almost all of the former UFC light heavyweight champion’s offense. The crowd booed the fight at various points because of Machida’s backpedaling. But the undefeated Machida worked on Ortiz’s left leg with kicks and connected with punches and head kicks as counters while Ortiz tried unsuccessfully to chase him down. The key blow was in the third round with a hard knee to the ribs that put Ortiz down, but Ortiz recovered quickly. Ortiz was also in trouble at the end of the first round when Machida surprised him with a takedown and threw rapid punches just as time in the round expired. Ortiz, who was in the last fight of his UFC contract, left the door open for a possible return to the company while praising the fans and UFC owners Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta in his post-fight interview. But he talked more openly about going to what he termed “greener pastures.”
As the master of showmanship and controversy, Tito loses, but remains star of the show.
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Lyoto is a bitch runs away and kicks ever so often tito is much better fighter. If your gonna win like a little bitch and run away and kick ever once and a while your not a ture fighter
TITO SUCKS
TITO ES UN BUEN PELEADOR , PERO REALMENTE HA BAJADO MUCHISIMO SU RENDIMIENTO, REALMENTE YA NO ES EL FENOMENO DE HACE 5 AÑOS…
Hey Steve, how ’bout the end of round 1 where you’re tito ortiz became The Dragon’s bitch, huh!?!? Don’t focus on the face of your man crush ortiz, focus on the kicks of The Dragon, that’s where you’ll find more excitement and action. Fishout man!
Hey Steve, lets see you get in that cage with Lyoto…
Majority of Machida’s game is about frustrating the other fighter, which is boring to watch. But it’s impressive to watch how he capitalizes on key moments to deliver the finishing blow (knee to the liver).
The only way to beat Lyoto, the human monkey, is to come in the ring strapped with a banana. You lure him in and knock his head off. Then you make love to him while he is on the floor. With all monkeys.
Machida’s fighting style is so boring to watch. Even though he won, it was not worth watching.. just read the results. save urself the time.
Machida fought smart against Tito. In an all out brawl, Tito would have messed him up, but Machida is patient, dances around a lot, and has great timing when striking. Very defensive but it works, no one is able to find a weakness with him. I think if you low kick his legs a number of times, he wouldn’t be able to run around so much, then you can go head hunting, maybe thats the secret.
seriously what a PUSSY, has the fuckin run the whole time then makes a move before times out
Machida is putting pure martial arts back in to MMA… not just ground and pound bull shit. He is a tactician in the ring. He out fought Tito pure and simple.
Steve: Despite the respect I have for Tito and what he’s done for the UFC I wouldn’t go so far as to say he’s a better fighter than Lyoto; especially these days. Lyoto recognized that he was clearly the weaker fighter so he found a way to neutralize Ortiz’s strength by being more opportunistic and choosing his shots more carefully. Personally I’d say that Machida coming up with and implementing an effective strategy that allowed him to beat someone who would normally crush him is more impressive than watching two apes bashing each other on the head in the middle of the ring until one of them falls over—but that’s just me. And really how can I expect you to understand the value of intelligent fighting if you can’t even spell…:P
Machida is a brilliant, classic martial artist. 20+ years in traditional Karate. I doubt his fighting style would be appreciated by the typical MMA fan.
No offense, but half you guys sound like you just fell out of the trees.
Hopefully, Lyoto’s success will open the door to true martial artists, as opposed to the brawlers that have dominated in the past. However, I’m not holding my breath. Americans simply don’t have the understanding or education to appreciate the subtleties of what Lyoto is doing.
Rofl doesn’t matter how you look in a fight… might have been boring to all you common viewers and entertainment seekers… but to people who know what the fuk they’re talkin about, would know that machida is very VERY skilled… the guy fukin worked tito… and may possibly end up quite big in the future… watch out for the guy… and yea… knock outs in the first round less than a minute in is soooo much more fun eh?… rofl stupid… that shit is more boring in my opinion… I’d much rather see well played out match between two skilled Mixed Martial Artists… No offence against Tito though, I like the guy… he’s an entertainer and he’s pretty good with his ground game… but honestly… he got worked hard…
LOL and yea all you noobs that thought the fight was boring, obviously think of the UFC the way you think of WWE ROFL… WWE is also very stupid and I don’t know why people waste their time with that shit…
I really have never seen such a bitch before as machida was in the last 30 sec. of round 2….Im sure kalib starnes wasn’t running either in his last fight he was then later released from UFC…fuck machida
The first round I wouldve given to tito just for the fact that he had control of the octagon and threw some big shots that narrowly missed. round two was close as well with machida maybe getting a little better but still a wash. Then in the third tito starts to land, beating machida in the clinch when machida lands a great right knee to the body of tito. tito takes some punches but recovers and goes for a big triangle/armbar combo and still finishes the fight in an active guard. solid fight but I think ortiz did better and shouldve got at least the split decision loss. I think tito really tried to finish the fight a few times in the first with some big right hands but never landed. Machida’s entire goal seemed like he was just trying to outpoint tito.
Logan, good points. Tito did work hard and gave it his best. He just did not have the right strategy to neutralize Machida’s defensive style. Points-wise, Machida’s strong takedown and the strong knee to the liver is enough to win all judges. I agree Tito should have gotten a split decision based on the triangle choke / armbar at the end.
The size of the octagon plays to the advantage of Machida. Had it been in a ring, we would have seen a more aggressive / offensive Machida. That, I would like to see.
On the fight…
I was there live, and watching the fight live seemed very different to me that watching it just now again. One of the things that doesn’t translate very well on the 2 dimensional screen of a television or computer are the lateral movements that Lyoto Employed against Tito. Watching it live, it didn’t look so much like Lyoto was “running away” as he was moving laterally to look for openings to attack instead of just bull rushing. That constant bouncing he does was side to side, Tito would attack, Lyto would move to the side and counter. Or alnteratively, with the kicks that was he landing, he would kick and move to the side to avoid a counter.
Sitting in the crowd you could feel the same sort of frustration that Tito must have been experiancing. The crowd booed at several points and was constantly chanting Tito’s name in various sections, especially the two different points when Tito simply backed up and lifted his arms as if to say “Come on lets do this!”
As far as comparing Lyoto Machida to Kalib Starnes, it simply isn’t a valid comparison. Lyoto was never trying to back out of the fight, he was simply either avoided damage, OR looking for a different way to attack.
As for the view that Tito should have gotten a split decision? I disagree completely. I like Tito, and I have been a fan of his since way back when he beat the hell out of Guy Mezger. Tito simply got outmatched, point for point. Tito’s attacks missed, and nearly 90% of Lyto’s connected. Lyto attacked at will, and picked Tito appart the entire fight. It’s not the most exciting fight for a casual fan to watch, but that’s because the majority of casual fans have gotten used to the ground and pound techniques employed by many fighters. When the UFC -first- came out, people were actually turned off by the ground and pound, as it wasn’t what people “had in mind” for a fight.
In essence, to me it was a classic case of “Boxer against Brawler”. Neither style is necesarily more dominant, and I expect you’re going to see a small shift toward other fighters like Lyoto, as has already been evidenced by fighters like Anderson Silva. It’s not going to completely revolutionize the sport but MMA has -always- been a fluid and dynamic sport. Anyone who wants to box it into -any- specific style is bound for disapointment.
Morgan, that’s an interesting point. Perhaps Machida’s lateral movements doesn’t translate well on TV. What I see is the frustration on Tito’s face as he misses connecting with every strike.
Anderson Silva has good lateral movements as well, and similar elusive style. But he attacks more, and can finish a fight early. It would be more fun if Machida start finishing fights early, in addition to being more elusive.
Fuck you, Machida won fair and square. Tito is washed up at a young age. Loss to Coture, Lidell, draw with Rashid and I even think in my opinion that he lost to Forrest Griffin.
I don’t disagree with you at all Ivan. That’s a major difference between Silva and Machida.
However, I would point out, that Tito was completely saved by the bell in the first round. Machida knocked out Rich Franklin in similar fashion, and had the round gone even thirty seconds longer TIto would unlikely have made it out of that round alive.
In addendum, I believe you will see Machida adjust to the demands of the UFC as his fight career matures. He’s a very patient fighter, but once he gets himself settled, it’s my belief that you’ll see him become more aggressive. Again, he -nearly- finished Tito off TWICE in one fight. In the first round, and the third when he landed the blow to the liver. Unlike Tito who was never able to land a single seriously damaging blow in the fight. Machida is a boxer. He’ll pick his blows like a sniper because of the style of his fighting. The general populace want an entertaining fight however, and it’s one of the things that fighters need to keep in mind if they want a lucrative career. Fans loved Tito because he was exciting, not because he was technically profficient. It isn’t a knock on Ortiz’ skill, he IS a skilled fighter at what he does, it’s a comment on how people view the sport. It is a blood sport, and people want to see action. They want to see fists flying. That’s a REASON the rules in the UFC have been set up as they are now, with three rounds and the time limits, to detract from the prolonged fighting style of Royce Gracie where fights would last 30….40…..50 minutes, with the fighters laying on the ground not doing anything.
As I mentioned earlier in my comments above, MMA is a fluid sport. Machida brings something new to the table that people will need to adjust to. They will adjust, as will the sport, but all of this talk about “True Martial Artists” and “Punk Cowards” etc, is pointless. It’s the dynamic of the sport, enjoy it and appreciate it for what it is… =)
a lot of these commits are great and on the money but, others are pure ignorance. I know some think that all Americans are blood thirsty morons with no appreciation for true fighting styles, but you might ponder where this sport would be if Americans did not watch, regardless of why they watch. Tito had an option the whole fight, to move forward. He did not want to do that because he wanted Mach to move forward and Mach was to smart for that. The old days of of bully tactics and simple ground and pound are over. Tito looked a lot like his old nemesis Shamrock, completely outdated and no longer relevant to the sport except as a coach. Be prepared there a lot of Lyoto Machida’s out there that are up and coming
Morgan, well put. It takes more than just skill and talent to become a successful mma fighter. I would say Marketability is more important, than anything else. Tito, despite his misgivings, is a master showman who can create controversy and put people on seats of arena.
Which fighters would you pay to see?
http://blog.ronin5.com/which-5-mma-fighters-would-sell-out-an-arena/
Hey Don, I thought Donkey Kong’s comment about luring Machida with a banana and have him raped by monkeys was insanely brilliant.
Ivan,
Your query about the fighters I would pay to see has now been answered…
http://blog.ronin5.com/which-5-mma-fighters-would-sell-out-an-arena/
Don,
My comments about MMA being a blood sport, and fans wanting to see action, wasn’t a judgement statement.
I’ve probably got as intelligent annalysis for any of the fights that happened at UFC 84 as you are going to find on the boards anywhere, and the fact of the matter is, I STILL WANT TO SEE SOMEONE PUT THE HURT ON SOMEONE ELSE.
It doesn’t make you stupid to want to see a good fight. It makes you blood thirsty and barbaric, and quite frankly, we Americans are. Don’t shy away from it. It’s better than being a bunch of pansies like the French. Err…
On that topic, anyone know how many frenchmen it takes to defend the city of Paris?
as long as your not one of the monkeys! I also agree with Morgan when it comes to marketing, the sad part is if you think this through to its conclusion MMA is well on it’s way to the same fate as boxing with some subtle differences. Instead of a black guy named don king we have a white guy named dana white, king had a bush on top of his head, white has no hair. But at the end of the day cash is the king of them all and make no bones about it few fighters will be left that are fighting for the sport of it and not the money and fame. Enjoy the rest of the golden days of MMA…….the barbarians are at the gate…..
A lot of the ignorant fans who are bored with Machida’s style obviously know NOTHING about MMA, and are probably the same brainless monkeys who keep FAKE entertainment like the WWE in business. Machida is really one of the few you could count on one hand who actually brings an effective martial ART to MMA (that’s “mixed martial arts” for the ignorant fans who haven’t figured that one out yet). Just because he doesn’t entertain you by ground n’pounding or trying to submit every opponent doesn’t mean he sucks, it would only prove that he’s one-dimensional and THAT is boring!
Yes, it’s exciting to see guy’s get pulverized by a ground n’pounder, but it’s also exciting to see someone (like Machida) pick apart an opponent’s one-dimensional fight style (like Tito’s predictable ground n’pound). Machida had all kinds of answers for Tito, even giving Tito a taste of his own medicine at the end of the first round. Tito had nothing to offer Machida (he even threw a fit in which Machida quickly answered with a lighting-fast combo to Tito’s face) except for that last-minute submission attempt in which Machida still escaped.
Machida is patient, methodical and tactical and it’s exciting to see how he frustrates and picks apart even the most accomplished aggresive fighters…like Tito. How can you not be in awe of those beautiful switch kicks he landed on Tito? Who else even has the skill to pull off kicks like that in the Octagon? Machida brings an art and skill level to MMA which thus far has proven extremely effective over the mass-produced ground-n-pounding/brawling-wrestling styles that seem to dilute professional MMA.
Machida also brings a respect and dignity to professional MMA that is really lacking in a lot of trash-talking fighters. He doens’t have to dye his hair or cover himself in tats to be tough. He certainly put an end to Tito’s trash-talk by excitingly putting lightning-fast fists into Ortiz’s mouth near the end of the second round. But he also respectfully bowed to Tito after giving the Bad Boy a spanking, what a TRUE martial artist!
Just because Machida doesn’t succumb to his opponents’ fighting styles doesn’t mean his sucks. But if you think he does, well you’re probably a rabid fan of fake WWE wrestling and wire-fu movies. Machida is the real deal! “Dragon whips his tail!”
Don,
I would agree with a majority of your comments about the state of the sport and annalogy of the situation with Boxing. However, I would like to point out that there is a ray of hope. MMA does not need to be reduced to the same status as Boxing.
Money is the king in ANY SPORT. However, there are levels of integrity, marketability, excitement, and fairness that keep certain sports elevated above the rest.
Unfortunately, I have to say it pained me to see BJ Pen backtrack on his stance concerning Sean Sherk. While it may seem like a generous thing for the victor of a fight to say that there were no hard feelings between himself and his opponent, BJ Penn purposefully made a point of expressing those feelings PRIOR to the fight. It was an admission that he was simply trying to sell the fight and make more money, which is a knock on his own credibility. He could have still been a graceful winner and NOT taken back his remarks. That kind of behavior is exactly what will inevitably lead to dragging MMA into comparability with Boxing.
Morgan,
You very concise in your writing and your commits are well thought out but I would like to remind you that “once upon a time” boxing had the same attributes as MMA (integrity, marketability, excitement, and fairness) and a couple of knuckleheads figured out that they could make a killing if they would sacrifice just one of the aforementioned qualities of the sport. And you are on target with the pre-fight trash talk, don’t take it back, back it up and leave it at that.
Is it true that Machida puts his opponents to sleep… by getting them bored? Hahaha! LOL!
Don,
Your comments about the exploitation of boxing are dead on. The boxing world was done a disservice by promoters such as Don King.
The point I was attempting to make, and obviously failed to convey was not that Boxing didn’t have all of the aforementioned attributes. Boxing did. It was that MMA -HAS- them, and all it need do it gaurd them through the strict application of regulatory bodies. It’s probably a bad analogy, but bodies like the NFL commision, and the process of unification of the sport of football served to HELP that sport.
What is happening currently, under Dana White’s guidance can at first glance seem like something of the makings of another “Don King” but, the unification of Pride, KOTC, WeC, etc, the standardization of rules and regulations are all a positive thing. I think everyone in MMA is aware of the pitfalls that befell Boxing, and are wary of the similar fate happening to the sport of MMA.
Hey bitches, Dana White is no Don King! Dana is the man!!!
Gohan,
If you read more carefully, you’d notice I wasn’t knocking Dana White. I was saying that while at first glance, one could make a superficial comparison between the two, at closer inspection what Dana White has done for the sport of MMA is a direct contrast to the effects of Don King’s actions on the world of Boxing.
Lloyd’s strategy is awesome
machida is garbage he only wins by decision. the ufc is about entertainment and putting on a good fight, not running away and winning in points.
I have one thing to say,
13-0
Next….
Hello,
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Virgin Entertainment
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Lock me in a 4mx4mx4m cage with that stupid Lyoto where he couldn’t run, I’ll give him the beating of his life. A fighter uses his space and surrounding to his advantage in reality and that’s what he does. But in reality also, you wouldn’t be able to run like that if a fight breaks because there might not be eneough space to around with. I reckon Lyoto is a piece of shit fighter. A fight is a fight man. It ain’t a vidoe game
I like reading the comments from the people who know what they are talking about such as Morgan, Ivan Bueno, Nate, Anon, Dude even Roflcopter. I like the fact that you appreciate the intelligence Lyoto brings into the cage. MMA isn’t all about who’s stronger or can hit harder. It’s about being smarter and more accurate. If I were one of Tito’s fans i would be horribly dissapointed in him after watching this fight! Tito had been in the UFC for over 10 years when he fought Machida in this fight and he looked totally clueless when he was in the cage with him! Tito knew well in advance of this fight of how elusive and tactical Machida is. Before the fight in interviews Tito claimed Lyoto’s never fought anybody as aggressive as he is and alot of other cocky bullshit, but for most of this fight the only thing Tito ever really got his hands on was air! And then he just stood there and ate all of Lyoto’s strikes! You really do your homework and come up with a strategy before you go into fight Machida! Any fighter, Actually! I think Dana White wanted to see Tito lose his last fight and he knew the right fighter to put him against! Nice strategy Dana! One more thing before i end this: I love how I feel like I’m under some kind of spell everytime I watch Lyoto Machida fight! It’s better than drugs baby!
Seriously you bitches that say Machida sucks know nothing about this sport and just want to see ground and pound. I like ground and pound as much as the next guy but Machida is a true fighter. He respects the art of true martial arts. Dumb kids thinking his fights are boring. Your not watching the real fight. Why not dance around or run around and pick your oponent apart??? Whats wrong with using skill over brute? I’d rather have more fighting skill over being stonger. Machida is the man and Rashad is going down.
Those of you that hate on Machida - a win is a win. You do not understand COMPETITIVE fighting and only want to see a slugfest. It is not checkers IT’S CHESS.
I enjoy watching his fights and watching his strategy and win DEVELOP. I used to fight competitively so I see it a little differently. There is always something going on, rather it looks like it or not. Watch more than the hands, watch the footwork, legs, lateral movements, position shifting, etc.
If Machida just ran the whole time that would suck. But he knocks people out!
I hope everyone catches on. Competitive fighting is an art that I hope all learn to appreciate - all styles and disciplines.
i would rather have machida winning all his fights the way he is fighting now then having him change his method to knockout his opponent, and potentially lose, to please a couple of hard headed fans who want to see a knockout. Become an Mixed Martial artist and fight your way.
Nobody wants to see Lyoto run away the whole time from Rashad.
Trust me Greg Jackson has a game plan for this running away cray.
Rashad will win this one!
annnnnd?? great prediction dude
machida has singlehandedly taken the sport to a new level. he is much smarter and much more experienced than those before him who rely solely on brute strength to overpower their opponent. machida understands that a true warrior knows how to let his opponent defeat Himself. machida is not a fool. the longer he waits and frustrates, the more it works to his advantage. watch and learn, and “dont criticize what you cant understand” anyone who says he wins by running around the ring(shades of muhamad ali), go ask evans and bonner about that. noone questions if ortiz is tough or not, but sometimes tough isnt enough.
tito got owned