Machida Versus Mousasi: Post Fight Thoughts

Here in North Carolina it is 1:22 am.  Well past my bed time.  But I just finished watching Lyoto "The Dragon" Machida's masterful performance against Gegard Mousasi and sleep will have to wait.  Prior to the fight, I wondered if their styles would make for an exciting match or a boring one.  The answer, for me at least, was neither.  It was both interesting and frustrating to watch.  I was never bored, but I was rarely excited.

The exciting parts were courtesy of Lyoto, who was great.  He did his thing, and stuck to the karate style that has brought him so much success.  Gegard, on the other hand, barely threw the left jab that had been so effective against Ilir Latifi.  And while he threw some good leg kicks, he didn't throw nearly enough of them.

Of the two fighters, Lyoto is the one who fought with urgency.  Though he danced around the cage as always, avoiding danger, he also blitzed with chain punch combinations, flying knees, and skull-splitting head kicks.  Gegard seemed content to throw an occasional left hook, an occasional right cross, and an occasional leg kick--even when it was obvious to everyone that he was way behind on points.

With that being said, I do have a couple positive things to say about Gegard's performance.  First, I thought his reversal from half guard in the fourth round was pretty sweet.  It gave him top position and a rare opportunity to inflict damage on the karateka.  Props to Machida, though, since he nullified Gegard's ground-n-pound which is something few other fighters have been able to do.

Prior to the fight, Gegard was considered to have a pretty solid chin.  The consensus was that he could take a punch.  After the fight, there is no doubt.  Machida hit him with the same round kick that put Mark Munoz to sleep, and Gegard didn't blink.  Later in the same round, Machida hit him again--this time with the instep of his foot instead of with the shin--and Gegard shrugged it off like it was little more than a mosquito bite.  The man may have the best chin in the business.

But his versatility and ability to adapt to his opponent, something which I had written highly of in this week's blogs, was nowhere to be seen.  Gegard did the same thing for five rounds.  Even though Machida was beating him on the feet, Gegard rarely shot in for takedowns.  And, again, I am confused on why he didn't throw his jab more often.  I can only chalk it up to Machida's elusiveness.  Perhaps Mousasi never felt like he was in range to use it.

With all that being said, congratulations to Lyoto Machida.  Chris Weidman and Vitor Belfort had better start designing game plans now to face the karate master, because he is almost certainly going to receive a title shot.

As for Gegard, he'll still be a stern test for other middleweights and light heavyweights, but I hope he reviews the fight, sees that he should have fought with greater urgency, and does so in the future.  It's often been said that he looks bored in the cage.  Well, tonight he fought like it.

Until next time.