Lyoto Machida vs. CB Dollaway: What We Learned from Middleweight Tilt

The end of 2014 saw the UFC close out the year in Brazil live on Fox Sports 1. The card, which was headlined by former UFC light heavyweight champ Lyoto Machida and CB Dollaway, was an interesting event that saw finishes and crazy fights in various spots throughout the card.

In the main event, Machida looked to get back into title contention by taking out dark horse Dollaway. As most people expected, Machida quickly took out Dollaway with a devastating body kick and follow-up punches.

It was a win that many expected, but what did we learn from this bout? Let's take a look in the aftermath of this UFC main event.

What We'll Remember About the Fight

The accuracy of that body kick is what we'll remember. Not only did Machida plaster Dollaway's body with that killer body shot, but he also placed it so accurately under the defenses of his opponent.

The sound it made is also memorable. The minute it landed, it sounded like a gun went off in the arena. That's how devastating the shot was, making it no wonder why Dollaway folded like an accordion in the aftermath.

What We Learned About Machida

This is really nothing new from The Dragon, who has been finishing dudes with kicks throughout his UFC career. Dollaway joins Randy Couture and Mark Munoz as guys Machida has downed with kicks in the Octagon.

We are still learning, though, that middleweight is the correct weight class for Machida. He is a good size and has shown to be successful thus far in his 185-pound campaign.

What We Learned About Dollaway

We learned that was too big of a step up for Dollaway. The UFC needed an opponent to headline opposite Machida on this Brazilian card, and Dollaway stepped up. However, it was in the deep end, and he couldn't swim.

He's a midcarder and likely always will be. This performance just reminded us of that.

What's Next for Machida?

There are a ton of options for Machida going forward. Unfortunately for him, he won't fight for the title anytime soon.

The best matchup to make is a showdown with Luke Rockhold, the former Strikeforce champion. Both men can throw down on the feet and are no slouches on the ground.

It's a high-profile matchup that would entertain fans thoroughly.

What's Next for Dollaway?

For Dollaway, a step back into the midcard is warranted. He was given a big spot in the main event and showed us basically nothing.

A bout with a fellow fighter coming off a loss in James Te Huna could serve as a good comeback fight for both men. It's an interesting stylistic matchup that could grace the main card of a Fight Night card.

You could also stick him in there with the loser of Brad Tavares vs. Nate Marquardt. The matchup would take two top-25 fighters and have them fight to get back into the win column.