That was total bullshit. Shogun CLEARLY won that fight. I mean it wasn't even close. Fight metrics threw up the stats, he landed more strikes in every round, in round 3, Lyoto landed more devastating strikes, and that round alone could arguably have gone to him. But the other 4? All clearly in Shogun's column. There is no way possible to give Lyoto 3 rounds, it just wasn't even close.

Every single MMA journalist, or person keeping score for an official organizations scored Rua as the winner.


I smell a fish.

Dragon lost.

Joe daddy and King Fisher was a good one though.

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The bus makes it's rounds.
http://www.greenpassion.org/f24/hi-dez-perpet-9020/

If it had not been a title fight Rua may have gotten the decision. But weather MMA or boxing or most any one on one sport, if you’re going to beat the champion you have got to clearly beat the champion, and Rua didn’t do that. I think for sure he was the toughest opponent Machida has fought but the bout was dead even. Rua was more aggressive and landed some hard strikes, but the take-down attempts that Machida stopped probably counted against him as well as not being able to put him any danger when he did get a take-down. And who had the best cage control would be a toss up, Rua was going forward most of the time but Machida kept him at the distance he wanted to, utilizing the three most important aspects to win a fight: timing, technique, and distance. I may be in the minority but I completely agree with the decision.
Looking forward to a rematch.

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I have trouble telling the difference between reality and fantasy and for sure nothing I have to say here has anything to do with reality. I couldn’t afford World of War Craft so this is much cheaper entertainment.

i didnt see the match so take this for what its worth, but i would agree with greenvulpine. if its a title fight to be CHAMP you need to BEAT the champion. not some controversy.

MMA has enough controversy as it is. it doesnt need another controversial title match after the whole Greasegate or whatever with GSP and Penn.

I havent really been inclined to get a UFC in a long time. the PPV used to be stacked with fights and now focus mainly on 1 or 2 fights. i understand its business but at $50+ a pop its hard to justify. especially since Fedor is about to fight on NBC for free.

anyone know of a link for some match vids so i can watch these fights :-D

thanks

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First Grow: Bag Seed
http://www.greenpassion.org/f15/buying-vs-trying-13054/

"Such holidays in the sun don't come without sacrifices"

There is no doubt Rua was his hardest opponent thus far. His kicks were very strong and he handled himself well against Machida. But, I have to agree with the decision to beat the title holder you have to "beat" him and that didn't happen.

The best fight of the night was Stevenson vs Fisher. The UFC needs some better filled cards. They seem to be getting watered down with so many fighters and such a long wait between good match ups.

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Actually the judging criteria used by the Athletic Commossions judges does not differentiate between title and normal fights. Though that doesn't matter. Rua landed more strikes which did more damage. If you read the UFC judgng criteria the definition of winning a round is landng more of the harder hitting strikes.

Fightmetrics.com has the stats in black and white. Rua out landed Machida in EVERY round. Machida did equal damage to Rua in the 1st (which is why about half the MMA experts scoring the match made the first round a 10-10), and did more damage in the 3rd (machida won the third round). But the 2nd, 4th and 5th rounds Rua landed WAY more strikes and did WAY more damage. On top of that, Machida spent the entire fight running away from Rua. This is a good tactic IF you can use it to out score your opponent however, if you don't, it counts against you in the official judging criteria. In fact per the judging criteria (which the judges apparently ignored) strikes landed while moving forward score more than strikes landed while moving backwards

Even if you give the first round to Machida (this was a rua round, equal damage gives the round to the striker who landed more often), Rua still won 48-47, Machida just didn't win 3 rounds, period, watch the fight again, count the blows follow the damage, it isn't close. There are not 3 rounds Machida could have possibly wom. You can not even make an argument that they were too close to score. He got dominated in 3 rounds, basically tied in a 4th and won a 5th. Yes you need to read the judging criteria and be able to tell when a hit does damage but these are pro-judges...and Machida's face was busted from the shots, his ribs were almost bleeding from the body kicks, and his legs were demolished...Rua never took a truly hard shot. Ny the last round, Machida is having trouble moving his legs had been struck so many times. Fight metric had him taking I think 73 clean leg shots. That's brutal, one of those shots would send most people to the emergency room.

This decision was a robbery, even Dana said so after the fight, but at least we know there is going to be a sick rematch.



EDIT: look at Machida's ribs in this pic, i think they are bleeding

I absolutely agree with the facts you have laid out. I have watched many fights boxing/mma etc over 40 years or so and this is not the first time or the last time this will happen. But the same outcome seems to always happen. Unless the champ gets knocked down, knocked out, beaten badly they still remain the champ.

I can remember watching fights with my dad as a kid and seeing this exact same outcome more times then not. It's like an unwritten judging criteria that pops up with this type of fight.

Was it an exciting fight? Hardly, certainly not IMO. I agree Rua was pounding Mochida's ribs and legs with those kicks but really very little devastating action compared to the other fights throughout the night. Everyone wants to see the same thing in a title fight and that is a decisive win over their opponent. And not something left to an opinion of what they saw or interpreted over a few rounds.

If they allowed computer scoring to judge these fights there would be many upsets based on current results. There has always been much controversy in judging these sports. You don't really know who or what is behind any decision these days with all the money being wagered.

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Also, consider that this title has been bouncing around like nobody's business in recent. Rarely has it been held by 1 fighter for longer than 2 or 3 fights since Liddell held it....and has only switched hands at a fight stoppage in that time.

all rules in consideration i dount the UFC would like to see one of their prized divisions switch to yet another champ on a score card. this decision allows for a solidly hypable rematch as well as allows for more motivational fights to face the light heavy champ!!

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First Grow: Bag Seed
http://www.greenpassion.org/showthread.php?t=13054

"Such holidays in the sun don't come without sacrifices"

Remember though, the UFC has nothing to do with judging. Judges are from the state athletic commission, probably one of the reasons you have such terrible judging.

this is true...thats something that all judged sports have tho.

its funny, i read an article in regards to the Rua camp and apparently his corner told him in the 4th round that he was winning on the cards so he didnt press as hard the last 2 rounds.

go hard or go home clearly wasnt applied here. oh well...he will get his rematch and all will be vindicated one way or the other.

ugh...the next one has 2 rather has-beenish fighters as the main event since Lesnar is being pushed back...whos buying that one?

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First Grow: Bag Seed
http://www.greenpassion.org/showthread.php?t=13054

"Such holidays in the sun don't come without sacrifices"

to be the man you gotta BEAT the man...wooooo! lol

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Apparently the judges didn't get that memo.