Rashad Evans vs. Lyoto MachidaThis is a battle of two undefeated fighters. One man is known for his brash attitude and explosive fighting style. The other is a samurai with a focus that is as unwavering as it is effective. Rashad is a man who wears his emotions on his sleeve. Despite being undefeated in MMA, he’s had some rough moments in his career. He suffered a draw to Tito Ortiz because he was overwhelmed by the moment. He was getting out-pointed by Forrest Griffin for two plus rounds, before he decided to get busy and finish things. Nothing much of anything was happening in his fight with Liddell. Then, BAM! One punch from Rashad and it’s all over. Lyoto Machida has a consistent fighting-style that can be seen in every round of his UFC career. He’s hardly taken any damage. The one time he was in danger was the triangle attempt from Ortiz. Really, what were the odds of Tito winning by submission, anyway? Well, it’s something that looks significant when you’ve never been in trouble before. Does Rashad have what it takes to beat Machida? Here’s a better question: What the hell does it take to beat Machida? Do we need a ground whiz or a super-explosive striker? Perhaps we need someone who is just as disciplined as Machida. He’d have to be somebody that won’t get caught rushing in ala Thiago Silva. The man that fits that description is Forrest Griffin, even though he’s been caught a couple of times himself. As we know, Forrest has another uber-challenge this year anyway. Evans always has a chance of getting that KO shot – but Machida’s elusive style is tailor made to avoid that. Evans’ is too inconsistent and not nearly explosive enough to finish Lyoto. If you wanted somebody to knockout Machida, you’d probably send in Rampage. I hate to discredit Rashad, since he’s accomplished a lot in his UFC career. However I stand by my pick here. This is Machida’s chance to win the gold. After all, it might take him another two years of undefeated fighting to get another title shot. Next Fight: Hughes vs. Serra
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