Awkward Debate

Before UFC 104, I was both a Machida fan as well as a Shogun fan. Both fighters are flawless and seem undefeatable; I wanted a good fight and got one!

I don’t really understand the 10 point system all that well that UFC uses, I know that the winner of the round gets 10 points and the loser gets 9 or less points, and that sometimes, although rarely, both fighters can get 10 points.

The more I watch the fight the more comfortable I am about the decision. I know that some of you guys are going to disagree, so if you do, please feel free to leave a comment.

Shogun was landing some vicious knees and kicks, but yet at the same time Shogun was also missing and not connecting some of his kicks. Granted this did make him look like the aggressor but it also makes him look not as in control. It’s like a fighter trying to shoot in for a takedown but missing or failing to gain enough leverage to take down his opponent. Too many of these failed take downs and then the judges will start to feel like either your opponent is faster and/or smarter than you or that you aren’t in control. I know that missed punches, kicks, and failed takedowns happen all the time, but it seems like Machida was able to read Shogun’s hips better than Shogun was able to read Machida’s. There were moments where Shogun was midway though a kick when Machida would counter with a forward lunging punch to Shogun’s head before Shogun’s kick would land. Machida's quickness and cleverness is his best weapon.

Why are hips important? Because if you can see how a person’s hips are positioned you will be able to predict their movement better. Good cornerbacks in the NFL and defenders in soccer and basketball know that you don’t watch your opponent’s feet or the ball or the movement of their upper body to predict their next moves, you watch their hips.

Also, throughout the match it seemed like Machida was able to back pedal and tap Shogun’s fists with his hands as if he knew where Shogun’s fists were going. Being able to back pedal fast enough AND tap your opponent’s fists as they fly at you is an amazing thing to do. I know that Shogun is a great fighter and it’s a shame that he wasn’t able to get in rhythm and land combinations. Whenever Shogun tried to throw his combinations, either Machida would back pedal or if Machida couldn’t back pedal any more he would just grab Shogun.

In the early rounds, both fighters kept on pushing each other to the edges of the Octogon, in the later rounds, Shogun was doing the majority of the pressuring and pushing. About 3 times in the match, Machida was able to land some good combinations and everyone knows that combinations win you fights.

Remember that Colts & Dolphins game where the Dolphins kept on running their wildcat offense and the Colts only got to touch the ball once per quarter. Even if you control the clock, you still have to land that knockout punch. Shogun controlled about 90% of the match by being the aggressor, but with the other 10% that Machida controlled, he was able to setup and land combinations. Plus with the majority of the 90% of the match that Shogun controlled, Machida was able to not get knocked out or taken down. In fact, he was able to defend himself pretty well and even counter attack at times.

I know that some of you guys are going to completely disagree with me. But watch the little things that Machida did and you’ll be amazed.


In the end, I do feel like Machida is the champ, but yet Shogun is the new Lion Heart.