Lyoto Machida vs. C.B. Dollaway: Keys to Victory for Each Fighter
In one of the more underwhelming main event showdowns of 2014, former UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida will slug it out with wrestler C.B. Dollaway this Saturday in Barueri, Brazil.
Now while the UFC Fight Night 58 headliner doesn't jump off the screen, its participants are more than capable of flexing their divisional muscles.
Machida's counter-striking ability and sneaky footwork certainly peg him as the favorite entering the last weekend before Christmas, but Dollaway's wrestling and in-your-face aggression can make noise, too.
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It's going to be a more competitive middleweight bout than most people would like to think, so why not sit back in front of the old TV, sip on some eggnog and watch this bad boy for free?
Here are the keys to victory for both contenders as we gear up for Fight Night:
Keys to victory for Dollaway
Pressure Early
Machida is at his best when he can sit back, wait for his opponent to attack first, hit the auto-pilot button and cruise to a one-sided, back-and-forth affair.
It's what allows him to land with such precision and lethality.
In order to stop such a common occasion from happening, the always game Dollaway must put pressure on The Dragon early and often.
Don't allow him to collect confidence and find his feet. Don't allow him to trickle back and leap forward.
Meeting all of these Machida strengths halfway could give Dollaway his best bet to steal a win.
Establish his ground-and-pound
It's no secret that Machida is the better striker.
Heck, he's arguably a Top 10 striker of all time when you consider his ability to fire back on queue.
So in order for Dollaway to suffice for such a predominant disadvantage, he needs to take Machida down.
That's much easier said than done, but The Doberman has some of the best wrestling in the division and a strong-enough presence to keep the Brazilian out of service on the mat.
Keys to victory for Machida
Stay off the cage
As the quicker fighter in open space, Machida will have the ability to defend any of Dollaway's takedowns by sprawling or slithering to the side.
But if Dollaway is able to pressure Machida and pin his back to the Octagon boundaries, then a takedown becomes increasingly imminent.
That said, Machida must allow himself enough space to move around and keep this fight in the center of the cage.
If he's unable to stay off the chain link, then it could cost him some rounds.
Remain patient
Dollaway has had much success on the feet when his opponents rush in.
It has added to his power arsenal and consequently has turned him into a more well-rounded entity than he was just a few years ago.
And even though Machida is a heavy favorite headlining in front of a hometown crowd, he needs to remain patient and pick his shots.
Over-reaching could result in either a powerful punch or momentum-changing takedown.
Maintaining respect and caution for Dollaway's abilities is going to allow Machida to rely on his sharpness and split-second retaliations.
For more UFC news and coverage, Follow @DHiergesell
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