UFC 129 Fight Card: Lyoto Machida And The Lost Aura of Invincibility

"Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the Machida Era" - Joe Rogan after Lyoto Machida ended Rashad Evans' undefeated streak by knocking out the then champion. 

Lyoto Machida was the man who had the impossible style. No fighter was able to figure out his elusive nature and otherworldly takedown defense. A resume consisting of wins over current and former top 10 talents, Machida was to be one of the most dominant champions in MMA. Many even believed that he'd go down in history as one of the greatest fighters of all time, retiring with an unblemished record and an extensive championship run. It's crazy how much has changed in the two years following his fight with Rashad Evans at at UFC 98. A controversial victory over Mauricio Rua at UFC 104 would be the last time that the "Dragon" would taste victory as well as the last time a UFC Light Heavyweight champion would defend his title successfully.

In his first fight with Shogun, the Machida riddle appeared to have been solved. Shogun was able to batter the champions legs and midsection with ridiculously powerful kicks and damage his face with his under rated Muay Thai. The fight was marred with controversy with Cecil Peoples making one of the most infamous comments in MMA history when he state that "leg kicks don't finish fights" and therefore don't do damage. The outrage caused Dana White and the UFC to grant Shogun an immediate rematch and the second fight took place at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada at UFC 113. The rematch would not go to the judges, with Shogun ending the fight with a knockout via punches on the ground. In this fight, Machida was unable to maintain his vaunted top control and never really get going much on the feet. The knockout was the first loss in Machida's career and the end of the Machida era.

Knockout losses being tough to bounce back from as they are, Machida was matched up with with the only other man to defend the UFC Lightweight belt in the Modern Era, Quinton Jackson, at UFC 123. The fight would be Lyoto's opportunity to come back from the devastating loss seven months prior. In what has started to become a theme with Machida, this fight too was surrounded by controversy. The first and second round saw Rampage dominate the fight in the clinch, using dirty boxing and knees to the thighs in order to score points. Machida would do the more significant damage with his punches, but they were few and far between. It would be the third round where Machida was finally able to recreate the success he knew before his fights with Shogun, landing a series of punches and kicks that backed Rampage up before scoring a takedown. Once on the ground, Machida was able to secure mount and threaten various submissions before the round ended. When the scores were announced as a Split Decision for Rampage, many in attendance were stunned. It was only because Dana White thought that Rampage won that Machida was not granted an immediate rematch. 

Now, a year since the end of the Machida Era and a possibility for the third consecutive loss in a row, Lyoto finds himself in a position he's never been before: a must win situation. The UFC is not big on allowing talent, even top talent to go on a three fight skid without some sort of repercussion, often in the form of termination. Lyoto is not the massive draw of a Tito Ortiz or a Chuck Liddell, nor is he coming cheap like a Keith Jardine. With a contract that pays over $200,000 a fight, Machida is one of the highest paid fighters in the UFC. He finds himself against aging legend Randy Couture in what is being billed as Randy's last fight. Couture, a six time UFC champion, is known for his ability to game plan for even the most difficult of opponents. Riding a three fight winning streak, Couture is facing one of the last great mysteries of MMA. Since his win over Rashad Evans, Machida hasn't appeared to be the dominant force he was once billed as. Instead, it appears that the losses have begun to take their toll in his confidence as a fighter.  

The impossible question now seems to have a simple answer: bully Machida in the clinch to make him break. A fighter who has an elusive style, it wouldn't be wrong to assume Machida does not enjoy getting hit. He's been dominant because fighters have not been patient with him; however, on the rare occasions that his opponents force him to make the first move, the results are disastrous. With many calling into question his chin and overall heart, is it wrong to comment that the first crack in his armor has opened up a Pandoras Box filled with short comings and lack of heart? Fans have recently seen another once invincible fighter fall from grace in Fedor Emelianenko. Once people saw he could be beaten, the intimidation factor was lost as was the aura of greatness. Will Machida prove that the loss to Rampage was a fluke or will he find a pink slip in his lock room after the fight with Couture? He's got a massive amount of talent but if his confidence is lost, so are his chances of winning. 

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