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For years fighters tried in vain in order to resolve the Lyoto Machida problem. Now it is Machida's turn to try to solve his own puzzle - 205-pound wunderkind Jon Jones. This fight is any prime example of the way quickly a fighter's investment can soar or sour inside the eyes of pundits and fans (Jones' profession doing the soaring as well as Machida's doing the souring, relatively speaking of program). It is educational in which Machida enters this contest as a heavy underdog. Only two [link widoczny dla zalogowanych] years ago the real-life Karate Kid was UFC champ along with unbeaten. People were raving in relation to "The Machida Era" - in addition to I didn't object. Only the experts that had christened Machida had been quickly dispelled. After a 16-0 begin, the fight game's the majority of perplexing riddle dropped a pair of of his past three bouts (to Mauricio "Shogun" Rua in addition to Quinton "Rampage" Jackson).

So you don't must spend much time scratching your face about why Machida makes its way into the UFC 140 title matchup as being a sizable underdog (although not nearly as large an underdog as Shiny Serra was four rice when he knocked out Georges St-Pierre and earned the welterweight world title). Jones - already crowned 2011 Fighter on the Year at the Planet MMA Awards - at this point represents an aura connected with untouchability and unstoppability which Machida himself exuded not too long ago. Jones [link widoczny dla zalogowanych] is 14-1, [link widoczny dla zalogowanych] though that single pimple is incredibly misleading (his lone loss came via disqualification for illegal elbows in a very bout that saw Jones manhandling Matt Hamill. It was a beatdown therefore memorable it had the ability to send shudders by way of future opponents, making them think twice about signing to fight Jon Jones).

Jones, a New York native, has never come near losing a fight possesses never encountered even much as a three-second slice of an fight that didn't element him essentially toying together with his prey. In one regard, Jones' domination reminds myself of Mike Tyson previous to his 21st birthday: The only suspense that arises in a very Jon Jones fight involves the time the other guy may survive. "Who wants it much more? " and "Who's gonna win? " are NOT questions you been curious about while watching Tyson inside his short-lived prime. And they are not questions you determine during a Jon Jones deal with.

And yet, mindful of the landmines that lurk when you [link widoczny dla zalogowanych] underestimate an opponent, Jones has called Machida his or her most dangerous foe currently. I don't think it's lip-service; I think the champ c3300k is sincere - along with he's absolutely right. An UFC.com online poll was recently conducted which asked visitors, "How long will Jon Jones reign as champ?" The results surprised me. 31% said at least another year. 15% said at least three more years. 11% said at least five more years.

43% of voters picked out Machida to dethrone Jones this specific Saturday in Toronto.

Now, the polls are not scientifically conducted here, meaning one person having a computer could vote 10 times should they wanted to (not the case with a scientific poll). And I suspect how the raging nationalism and devotion of Brazilian fans will be pushing the needle a good deal. But perhaps fans are acknowledging that Machida is just about the only man in the 205-pound division who can match Jones' unorthodox tendencies together with his own equally unorthodox tendencies. Unorthodox usually means unforeseen, and unpredictable means the probability of "anything can happen" blast way up. Make no mistake, these are the a couple kings of [link widoczny dla zalogowanych] unorthodox inside the UFC.

An esteemed colleague involving mine, Jon Anik, also conducted an relaxed survey among his 20, 000 [link widoczny dla zalogowanych] or so followers on Twitter. Anik posed the problem: Who is the 205er greatest equipped to beat Jon Jones?

The responses: Rashad Evans (34%); Lyoto Machida (24%); Dan Henderson (20%); [link widoczny dla zalogowanych] Phil Davis (16%), etc.

And hey, just for some additional ammunition in Lyoto's like, Machida and Jones were pitted against 1 another on the UFC Undisputed 3 video game. The results: Jones triumphed 18 periods, Machida won 7. But, as [link widoczny dla zalogowanych] Chael Sonnen would say, "we're going to find out" who better man is. Titles aren't won or defended on paper, or by reporter arguments, or online fan threads, or [link widoczny dla zalogowanych] polls, or video games. Lest we forget, Rashad Evans is one heck of your fighter. 21 wins. And the only gentleman to beat Rashad Evans will be .. Lyoto Machida. So Machida, a former UFC samsung champ, has been here ahead of. He knows what it feels like to hold the UFC lighting heavyweight title, which, if ever there seemed to be a hot potato among UFC belts, the 205-pound belt will it be.

I'm very much getting excited about this fight. And it wouldn't surprise me to find out Machida pull the distressed. But my guess is which the challenger must come into your Octagon with a few new surprises, something nobody has ever before seen before (something such as the front kick that TKO'd Randy Couture in his last fight, knocking out a the front tooth). It will [link widoczny dla zalogowanych] take many new tricks to conquer the superior athleticism regarding Jones and his substantial reach advantage (Jones' wingspan is usually a whopping 84. 5 inches versus 74" pertaining to Lyoto. And that reach advantage is actually key for Jones given it allows him to stay range to hit and kick - without having to be in range to always be hit and kicked with the other guy).

MIR VS. BIG NOG

Both of these guys, both victims of serious accidents involving automobiles, are lucky to become alive, let alone sharing this co-main event at UFC one hundred forty. I've got to say i have seen a great deal of super-tough guys in this sport - Wanderlei Silva, Frankie Edgar, Donald Cerrone and BJ Penn jump in your thoughts - but Antonio [link widoczny dla zalogowanych] Rodrigo "Minotauro" Nogueira may be the pinnacle of toughness. He is the Gold Standard, the Bushido code personified. I've never seen a man over and over again endure more pain along with suffering and exhaustion in the pursuit of victory versus 35-year-old Brazilian. A black belt throughout judo and Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Big Nog is unquestionably on the list of great heavyweights in history, but there are ongoing questions about whether all those wars have taken their particular toll. His chin is granite will no longer, as Cain Velasquez demonstrated, as Frank Mir demonstrated during his first go-round with Nogueira 36 months ago.

I must confess, I never saw Mir beating Nogueira. I had presumed it had been a bad stylistic matchup intended for him, presumed that if they will fought 10 times, Big Nog might gain all 10 of 'em. In my mind . the better standup: Big Nog. The better ground activity: Big Nog. Who wants it additional: Big Nog. So I stood inside MGM Grand Garden Area that night literally astonished as Mir abused Large Nog, put on a boxing clinic and floored Nogueira 3 times. I ran into Mir a week later and told him or her to his face that we was stunned that he besides beat Big Nog, but did it such convincing fashion.

"No disrespect, I like you Frank, but I didn't observe you winning. "

Mir was 260 weight; I weigh 146 using a good day. This was actually my first ever ending up in Mir (before either of us would start training Brazilian jiu-jitsu under renowned black belt Robert Drysdale). So I'm standing presently there alone talking with Mir and being probably far more candid than I should (an undesirable habit of mine).

"Before this fight My partner and i questioned your heart, I questioned your cardio, I questioned how much you wanted it, " I told him. "I thought you were a little bit lazy in the gym. Very skilled and proficient, but a little sluggish as fighters go. "

I had thought of Mir several had, particularly after the 2004 bike accident [link widoczny dla zalogowanych] that broke his or her femur and threatened the career. And I told them what I thought, and congratulated him for making a complete and [link widoczny dla zalogowanych] utter liar out of me and there are others. The way Mir reacted spoke volumes about them. He just looked me inside the eye, let me have my personal say, and even shared some of the techniques such as of which uppercut/jab hybrid that came in a weird angle and kept rocking Big Nog. He was [link widoczny dla zalogowanych] a gentleman the full time, never raising his tone of voice, never becoming defensive. I've spoken with Frank Mir often times since then, not always in agreement on issues, and I've been impressed by how thick-skinned they are to the criticisms that all fighter must endure. Mir is a very confident man, a nimble heavyweight who thinks being a lightweight, who can pull off of moves most heavyweights wouldn't dare try. And I must declare, the big guy has come a long way in the gym and yes it shows because now he'll fight three rounds difficult. I learned my lesson never to count him out. In addition to being a wordsmith, Mir is a technical assistant, and if his wrestling continues to improve, as it has, the 32-year-old BJJ black belt will really be [link widoczny dla zalogowanych] able to hold opponents guessing.

I was one of the people who thought Mir's win over Nogueira might have been a fluke, but I don't think so any further. Mir is just that will good. Big Nog has solely fought three times in past times three years, but says he feels rejuvenated after three operations. The win over Brendan Schaub was among those turn-back-the-clock moments for Nog and he's about to have revenge on his mind Saturday in Toronto. He thinks it seemed to be a staph infection in which weakened him against Mir. That's what makes this specific rematch so intriguing. Fluke or Trend? We'll find out Saturday.