If they had never fought, would you consider Evans a bad match-up for Machida?

[MadHorse]

This is an interesting to consider since Rashad has asked for a rematch.
In retrospect this question may sound silly. But try to remove the memory of their fight from your mind...

Machida has a special fighting style. However, he seems to fight at his worst against guys that can pressure him against the cage and limit his movement. Like by covering space and staying active on the feet while not giving counters. I imagine Rashad can to this with active footwork and his good reach.

Even Tito Ortiz was succesful in doing this. Machida's natural response to this is the knee to the plexus. Against a fast wrestler like Rashad that could land him on his back.

Also consider the fact that there's more tape on Machida (losing), which can help develop a good game-plan.

inb4shadface

tl;dr: Forget their first fight and imagine if they fought now, would you consider Rashad a bad match-up for Machida?

 

[That209]

I still feel Machida would catch Rashad and possibly finish him again.

 

[Blake900]

Yes. I favored Rashad in the first fight for many of these reasons. That was the last time I underestimated Machida, though I did pick Shogun and Jones to beat him. I did not pick Rampage and, well, you know...

 

[TheMan123]

Nah I still would think Machida was still a bad matchup for Rashad. Machida is such a hard guy to fight against. But Rashad was too aggressive in their first fight. I think he could pull it off a second time but still wouldn't put money on it.

 

[MMABr]

Probably with a different fight plan, but Machida's solid TDD + better striking and excellent countering indicate that it's pretty much the other way around even on paper.

 

[Chernabog]

I had Machida winning the first fight so that pretty much means if they never fought I'd just assume Machida would win.

 

[riitzni]

Not a bad match up but one that I definitely would have given Rashad a better chance of winning than in hindsight. He had also just KO'd Chuck and Forrest...it wasn't exactly a lock for Lyoto.

I'll be damned if it wasn't awesome being wrong though!

 

[Manus]

Wasn't Machida the favourite in their first fight? I'm sure alot of people thought that Machida had the style to beat Rashad.

 

[adamsilva]

They already fought noob Shad got ko'd bad

 

[Fyreborn]

Machida was over a -200 favorite the first fight, and considered a nightmare matchup for all wrestlers.

Nothing has happened since then to make people think otherwise. He lost to Jones due to Jones' wrestling, but everyone loses to Jones.

And even Jones couldn't keep Machida on the ground for more than 10 seconds. He just happened to land the perfect elbow in those 10 seconds that cut Machida and basically ended the fight.

Rashad would be the betting underdog today even if the first fight never happened.

 

[MadHorse]

I think Machida's TDD consists mostly of keeping enough distance between him and his opponent that they have to perform td from a great distance and can't ever catch his legs. The one time I've seen Machida put on his back was when Jones pushed him against the cage and forced and closed the distance. But well... that's Jones, but Rashad is able to do the same I think

 

[Duxtape]

No. Machida eats wrestlers with mediocre striking for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Rashad has no chance in this match up and a decision loss would be a victory in of itself. This is the same reason I see Hendo losing to Machida.

 

[Sirwastealot]

Not easy to forget about that

 

[trane]

No. Chinny with mediocre striking = goodnight sweet prince.

 

[ufcbrass]

Not easy to forget about that

that's the only reason i clicked on this thread. thank you.

 

[sobermonkey]

Shad face 2.0

 

[Just a username]

Yeah, he kinda is. Rashad fell in love with his striking after KO'ing Chuck, he didn't really attempt to use his wrestling against Machida. Rampage took Machida down, i think Rashad can as well. I expect him to do better in a rematch.
'

 

[MadHorse]

Machida was over a -200 favorite the first fight, and considered a nightmare matchup for all wrestlers.

Nothing has happened since then to make people think otherwise. He lost to Jones due to Jones' wrestling, but everyone loses to Jones.

And even Jones couldn't keep Machida on the ground for more than 10 seconds. He just happened to land the perfect elbow in those 10 seconds that cut Machida and basically ended the fight.

Rashad would be the betting underdog today even if the first fight never happened.

Jones had him on the ground for half a minute

He stopped exerting effort in holding him to use the opportunity to take the back, leading to the technical sub.

Since then, Machida has lost fights and Rashad has reverted back to a more wrestling based style (even though that's prob the result of his loss to Machida)

Okay?

 

[MmaGirl10]

No. I would still pick Machida to win

 

[The Clinch]

Going out on a limb and saying Machida is a bad match up for almost everybody.