UFC 113: Machida vs. Shogun II

[Captain Fantastic]

IF (and it's a huge 'if') Rampage can get by Evans, I don't see the results changing much. Quinton Jackson still doesn't check leg kicks, is poor in the clench and doesn't do a good job defending takedowns.

Shogun by 2nd round TKO. Maybe 1st.

Evans would probably stand a slightly better chance with his wrestling, but would ultimately lose.
Rationale: if the Thiago Silva fight was a 5-rounder, I believe the ATT fighter would have KTFO'd Rashad. Shogun is a better striker and fighter than Silva and the extra two rounds would definitely spell Evans' demise - he hasn't shown that he has the gas tank.

 

[C Dick]

The atmosphere was off the hizzy. The fights? Meh.

It was a pretty good crowd, though not nearly as intense as they were for the first UFC in Montreal when GSP fought, at least from what I saw. What impressed me was the drinking, every person surrounding us was drinking so much beer, it was unreal. The guy kept showing up with a full tray, and leaving with it empty. This dude in front of us drank so much beer, then just before the main event, he shows up with eight cocktails! Presumably with the fight ending in a few minutes, he had to chug them all at once. So unlike the Blue Jays, where they stop serving after the seventh inning and limit you to two drinks (don't they?).

 

[Manji]

Captain Fantastic beat me to it.....

Shogun is a bad match up for Rampage....
Rampage is susceptible to leg kicks (Griffin fucked his leg up with his weak kicks) and Shogun has proven that he is one of the savviest kickers in MMA....
Rampage doesn't seem to handle guys who move real well (Rampage likes to trade rather than move and hit) and Shogun can be just as "elusive" as Machida and counter even more effectively...
Since we haven't seen Rampage be tested in the clinch since Pride I would like to think he's at least improved in the clinch...If not then he will be fucked royally once again by Shogun if Rua catches him in the clinch...

If Thiago hadn't fucked around when he rocked Evans in the third he might have been able to put Rashad away and won that fight...Thiago had Evans hurt and pressed against the cage and all of sudden he decides to pull an Anderson Silva (the Matrix Head Movement).....Idiot! Fucking throw bombs and try to put him away not fucking showboat (one of the biggest dumbass plays of the year in MMA) and pass up a Golden Opportunity.

I think one thing that's overlooked with Shogun is his Fighter's IQ (probably one of the highest on par with Fedor)....
He's fights intelligently and adapts quickly in to any situation (loved how he passed Machida into full mount all the while throwing punches at the same time)....Add to the fact he is so dynamic and explosive that if Shogun is on top of his game he could be UFC Light Heavyweight Champion for a long time....

 

[Captain Fantastic]

I think the best potential LHW title fight right now would be Shogun vs. Lil' Nog. Their 2005 Pride MW Grand Prix fight was great. While it was a clear-cut Shogun decision win, Nogueira exposed a few flaws in Rua's game back when he was KTFO-ing everyone in the 1st round.

Problem is, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira has only had one fight in the UFC (Lil' Nog was injured prior to a scheduled matchup with Brandon Vera earlier this year and Forrest Griffin recently pulled out of their upcoming UFC 114 fight) so not enough fans - and PPV buyers - know who he is and how good he is. They need to build him up as a legit contender in the eyes of the paying public.

I believe Nogueira's the only guy who has a legit - i.e., non 'lucky' punch - shot at beating Rua right now... just barely. And only if he can take advantage of Shogun's wide, looping punches with straight, up-the-middle punches. Outside of Lil' Nog's slight boxing and BJJ advantages, Shogun is superior in every other aspect, especially clinch game, kicks and takedowns; with the very important toughness and stamina (possible slight Nog edge) a saw-off. That being said, I'm a little bit worried about Nogueira's injuries and lack of top-notch competition in the last three years.

However, he's going to need to dominate Jason Brilz @ UFC 114 and then beat a top-5 LHW before he gets a shot, so we're still a ways off.


Now, Jon Jones vs. Shogun in the not-so-distant future... wow!