Issue 127

April 2015

Both are former champions, but only one can be the next middleweight contender. FO weighs up the challenge facing two of the UFC’s elite 

Coming off a Fighters Only World MMA Awards nomination for ‘Fighter of the Year’ after three inside-the-distance wins, Luke Rockhold (13-2) looks to be no more than a win or two away from a shot at Chris Weidman’s UFC title. 

The former Strikeforce middleweight champion’s impressive trio of wins over Costas Philippou, Tim Boetsch and Michael Bisping have earned him his most high-profile fight to date, a main event against the ever-elusive veteran Lyoto Machida (22-5) at UFC on Fox 15.

Since losing his UFC light heavyweight title shot to Jon Jones in December 2011, Machida has gone 5-2 overall and 3-1 as a middleweight. His only loss at 185lb came last July in an epic fight with the champion. 

A cautious and tactical first two rounds gave way to a thrilling final three, in which Weidman battered the challenger and Machida almost scored a dramatic knockout. A hugely dramatic, white-knuckle fifth frame ended with Machida landing big punches and the ‘All-American’ waving him in for more.  

Weidman clearly deserved the decision, but it was one of Machida’s most compelling fights. A UFC fighter since February 2007, ‘The Dragon’ has befuddled and beaten quality fighters. Since the beginning of his career in 2003 he has frustrated opponents to the point of madness with an elusive style. However, despite his obvious skill, some fans still regard him as a deeply dull fighter. 

Just over half his fights have gone the distance – a result of his countering, feinting and ever-moving style. Partly due to so many of his fights emphasizing artistry over action, he’s also been involved in a number of judging controversies. 

Lucky to get his hands raised over aged former kickboxer Sam Greco in 2004, and the recipient of a laughable judges’ decision over Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua in 2009, Machida also dropped a couple of decisions in fights with ‘Rampage’ Jackson and Phil Davis, which he seemed to win. He certainly would have got the nod if he was a little more aggressive. 

But the karateka is also a sudden, versatile finisher when he sees the opportunity. Four of the best of his nine career stoppages by strikes – the 2011 crane kick that finally sent fighting legend Randy Couture into retirement, the single punch that felled an onrushing Ryan Bader in 2012, the brutal 2013 head kick that put Mark Munoz’s lights out and the devastating kick to the body that made CB Dolloway crumble in December – have come in each of the last four years. Rockhold will need to be at his very best to avoid falling victim to that pattern.

An excellent grappler with a fondness for spin kicks, Rockhold was a judoka as a child, wrestled as a teenager and earned a black belt in jiu-jitsu as an adult. The 30-year-old AKA standout has picked up seven wins with submissions and four via strikes.  

He showed off his striking versatility, great takedown defense in his Strikeforce title win over Ronaldo ‘Jacare’ Souza in 2011 and, despite tiring, punished his opponent all the way through the fifth round of an all-action fight. For his title defenses, he used his speed and some ferocious ground ‘n’ pound to stop Keith Jardine and his reach and technique to outpoint Tim Kennedy.

Many expected him to beat Vitor Belfort in his UFC debut, but he lost in the first round, courtesy of a spinning heel kick. His wins over Philippou by liver kick and brawler Boetsch with an inverted triangle kimura proved he was UFC caliber. But Rockhold looked more dominant than ever when he dismantled Bisping and became the first fighter to ever submit the Englishman.

Machida is a stylistic nightmare for anyone and, even at 37, his speed and reflexes seem to be largely undiminished. If Rockhold can beat him, whether it’s by decision or stoppage, he’ll certainly deserve a title shot. With youth on his side, you’ve got to fancy Rockhold to get the win and become the next 185lb contender.