Lyoto Machida Wins a Gift Decision Over Shogun

(Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images)

As soon as the main event of UFC 104: Lyoto Machida vs Mauricio Milani Rua came to an end many of the fans in the Staples Center as well as fans at home thought they just saw the first loss of Machida's undefeated MMA career.

However when the judges scores were announced all unanimously 48 to 47 in favor of the champion Machida everyone began to start booing. Many MMA forums and my cell phone started blowing up with text messages of how that was such a robbery and the worst decision ever.

But was it? Was it really a robbery? Was it really the worst decision ever? It is pretty clear that this was without a doubt the toughest fight of Machida's perfect career. When ever Machida is mentioned they always say he is the only undefeated champion in the UFC and the only fighter to have never lost a single round in the UFC. It can pretty much be safe to say he can no longer say he never lost a round anymore.

Rua better known as Shogun fought the perfect safe fight. He had a great muay thai style attack landing his leg kicks at will and bothering Machida's legs as we saw more and more Machida began to stumble and not be so quick and mobile to run around towards the end of the fight. I'm sure muay thai fighters across the world are bragging now against karate fighters (Machida's style).

We also saw pretty much for the first time Machida getting hit cleanly something that we are not used to. We saw evidence of this by the bright red bruising mark on the side of his body from the powerful kicks of Shogun.

Shogun fought a great fight and again many thought he won that fight for it was a close fight with him being the more visibly active of the two fighters. But did Machida get destroyed? Did he get dominated?

I think if we look at the fight in that prospective then the answer would have to be no. We are just not used to Machida ever getting hit especially as cleanly and effectively as Shogun was able to land on him, but thats a big difference from getting destroyed or knocked down.

Look as much as I hate to agree with the saying in a close fight the decision goes to the champion, it does. There is another saying that says the challenger must win and take that champion's belt. That basically means to me you have to destroy the champion and at best knock him out.

Did I want Machida to win tonight? Yes I did. Did I feel he won? Well I can not say he clearly won or fought the way we are used to seeing him fight the way he did his entire career. Did Shogun win tonight? Yes he did...he won over a lot of new fans with this fight.

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