A week after defeating the highly touted Rameau Sokoudjou at UFC 79, Lyoto Machida has been offered a fight with the former Light Heavyweight Champion Tito Ortiz. Machida has accepted the fight and is awaiting acceptance from Ortiz, who is expected to say yes (assuming that he is "fired" by then).
Machida has wins in the UFC thus far over David Heath, Sam Hoger, Kazuhiro Nakamura, and Rameau Sokoudjou. Outside the UFC he has wins over Stephan Bonnar, BJ Penn, and Rich Franklin.
I am not the first to say this, but this guy is for real. Assuming that Sokoudjou beats Ortiz (which will not be easy by any means), it is being tossed around that a fight against Keith Jardine or Rashad Evans is in the making for Machida. If this is the case, then his fight following one of those could be for the title.
Having shown just how talented he is, Machida could very well be our next UFC Light Heavyweight Champion (following the Griffin/Jackson fight of course). Fighting out of Black House, where UFC Middleweight champion Anderson Silva, Vitor Belfort, and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueiro (Big Nog) also train, Machida has all the makings to be a contender. He has the apparent work ethic of a champ, as well as an unorthodox southpaw stance stemming from his karate background that will throw many fighters off their game.
The Machida/Ortiz fight has interesting makings and could easily be a "Fight of the Year" candidate, but just as easily a boring three round decision smothering. Let's just hope they come out swinging.
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9 months ago
no kidding. if machida can avoid a take down, he can pick him apart. if it goes to the ground, machida's jiu-jitsu might not be enough to stop an ortiz g-n-p. but that is what jiu-jitsu is for, countering strength with technique.
9 months ago
It should be interesting to see whether or not Machida fights the takedown, or lets Tito take him down.
And whether or not Tito is willing to stand with him.
8 months ago
I gotta believe Machida will win this fight. Tito has a lot of pride, but his head isn't in MMA anymore. This is his last fight in UFC before his contract runs out and word is he's going to try his hand at Hollywood rather than come back to UFC.
8 months ago
does it worry anybody else all these fighters are trying acting instead of fighting. i know the writers strike is still going on, but pulling talent from sports? is the world going to have anymore good movies or will "the marine" be the new "usual suspects"?
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