There is a common link that ties Anderson Silva, Georges St. Pierre, and BJ Penn, the top three pound-for-pound fighters in the UFC today, and it shows how Penn has an advantage over St. Pierre. That link is Lyoto "The Dragon" Machida.
The camp is split on Machida; one side sees him as boring, the other as a supremely gifted athlete. He may not be everyone's cup of tea. Nor does he finish fights in destructive fashion. But he wins; and he wins every time, no matter who the opposition is.
He figures out their fighting style and has a game plan beat them. He's defeated strikers, wrestlers, BJJ practitioners, brawlers, and ground-and-pound fighters. The son of a karate master, Machida has been training since he was 4 years old; he was a black belt at the age of 13. He is also well-versed in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and sumo.
Machida is currently undefeated as an MMA fighter, with a record of 13-0. Not 3-0 or 5-0; 13 wins, zero defeats. Those 13 wins aren't bums found hanging around Kimbo Slice's backyard. Machida stopped Stephan Bonner inside of the first round in only his second fight! In his next fight he stopped a fighter by the name of Rich Franklin a minute into the second round. Wins over BJ Penn, Vernon White, Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou, and Tito Ortiz are also on his hit list.
Machida is, in my opinion, one of the best pound-for-pound fighters active today, and possibly the most complete mixed martial artist. It isn't what he does; it's what he doesn't do. His economy of movement is incredible. There are no wasted shots or take-downs, no loss of energy from looping punches or head kicks that aren't necessary.
When he throws strikes they land. He's very much like Randy Couture in that aspect, yet Randy is Captain America, the fan's favourite, while Machida is a boring backpeddler.
There's a reason we won't see Silva vs. Machida, and don't kid yourself that it's because they're friends. Professional fighters don't have friends. They have bank accounts. Money talks and bullsh*t walks.
Up until May of this year, along with Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, they trained together. They know each other well, and Silva knows how good Machida is. Machida has fought his own brother in competition. His own brother! If the match were made, he would fight his friend. Silva won't fight Machida because it's a fight he can't win.
I've seen a lot of posts saying if the Silva-GSP superfight does happen, that Silva will win because he's just that little bit better, and I'll repeat: Anderson Silva will not fight the Dragon.
BJ Penn moved up to face a fighter four weight divisions higher than his in Machida, and Machida could not finish Penn. He won, and a win is a win is a win, but he couldn't stop Penn. Penn moved up to 190 pounds and Machida was 207 pounds. Like everyone else, he couldn't even drop Penn (except for a wicked leg sweep, another example of Machida's tools), yet people think GSP will win by knockout or TKO.
As I've said, Machida started training at 4 years old. BJ started at 15, seriously at 17. Penn ate at Burger King, trained on his Xbox, and relaxed at nightclubs. Machida's been training since he was old enough to walk, and he couldn't stop Penn. That's not bad going for a fat out-of-shape time-waster with no dedication.
One of the most lingering memories of Penn is him sidestepping a Ralph Macchio-impersonating Caol Uno, then moving in as he landed and slapping him into the next county. Round One, 11 seconds, it's over. A long time ago, yes, but that isn't the issue here. What is the issue is that raw animalistic killer instinct, and it's back in full effect.
Sean Sherk lost to Penn because Penn clinically beat him. Penn got a lucky knee, and Sherk gassed. Nope. Sherk was wounded by a Penn strike, and that was it. Sherk didn't duck and fall into a knee, he was finished because Penn decided that fight was over, and in that split instant his knee slammed into Sherk's head, ending the fight. Penn knew exactly what he was doing. He was ending that fight and going home. The same raw animalistic killer instinct.
In the buildup to UFC 94, people will, as they've been doing already, be comparing the abilities of each fighter.
"GSP's the better striker." Sorry, but St. Pierre's face, after UFC 58, doesn't agree.
"BJ doesn't have the cardio." It's a myth. See above. At 190 pounds, Penn went the distance with a 207-pound heavyweight, and that was at a time when he was considered lazy!
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