Machida: A Threat To The MW Division, If Not The Belt

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October 28, 2013 by JJ Saddington

For all those who wondered (for quite some time now) how Lyoto Machida would look at 185lbs, you have your answer:

Much like he did at 205lbs.

Three minutes and ten seconds was all it took for ‘The Dragon’ to get Mark Munoz out of there with a devastating head kick KO. It was vintage Machida, three minutes of circling and feinting before a (seemingly blocked) left high kick sent Munoz to the mat to bring things to an end in the Phones 4u Arena in Manchester. Munoz was never really in the fight, unable to get in range to land anything significant or trouble Machida with a takedown. It was an outcome that many expected, though perhaps not so early in the fight, and one we’ve seen from Machida before. At 205lbs.

On December 28th at UFC 168 in Las Vegas, Nevada, Anderson Silva rematches new middleweight champion, Chris Weidman. How this fight plays out could determine Lyoto Machida’s eventual role within the division – if Weidman retains the belt, Machida could well be in line for a shot at the champ. If, however, Silva avenges his only UFC loss and reclaims gold, Machida could well find himself in a similar situation to Junior dos Santos.

That Munoz and Machida have been training partners is no secret and was clearly displayed by a show of concern for a fallen comrade over animated celebrations. Wether the ‘strictly business’ ethos would extend to fighting Silva remains uncertain. Rumours have recently circulated regarding Machida’s willingness to face his Black House teammate and, perhaps, taking the fight with Munoz is a demonstration of putting friendships aside in the name of sport. One thing is certain, an aversion to fighting the champ (if Silva wins) leaves Machida in a difficult position, for both himself and the UFC.

During his most recent run at light heavyweight, Machida felled a number of would-be contenders (Bader, Henderson) whilst falling just short of the belt himself. With the division potentially opening up at the top, following the dethroning of Silva, having Machida hanging around just to dispatch the competition could prove costly to the UFC. Whilst few would deny Alexander Gustafsson’s recent failed attempt at the title was deserved, very few gave the Swede any hope and were writing off the Alliance MMA standout almost as soon as the matchup was made. To say that Gustafsson surprised the majority by how close he came to upsetting Jon Jones would be something of an understatement.

Should the same trepidation be afforded to the likes of Gegard Mousasi, Phil Davis or even upcoming British prospect, Jimi Manuwa, were they to step in the cage with the LHW champ? Possibly. Though should they be cut down before getting the opportunity, we may never be surprised again. Machida is more than capable of standing in the way of any of these men and that is perhaps his biggest threat to the middleweight division.

For more MMA ramblings and existential noodling, follow the twitter @JJSADDINGTON