Lyoto Machida vs. Randy Couture

A clash of former UFC light heavyweight champions is in store for UFC 129, as Lyoto Machida(16-2) and Randy Couture(19-10) will face off.

4th ranked Lyoto Machida has fallen from the unbeaten ranks with two straight losses. His last fight with Quinton Jackson at UFC 123 was a difficult fight to score that could have gone either way. Now, Machida finds himself out of the title picture for the time being and in need of a win to put him back in the mix. Should Rashad Evans defeat Shogun Rua at UFC 128, Machida could be propelled back to the forefront of the contenders list.

Randy “The Natural”Couture(ranked 17th) is coming to the end of his hall of fame career, yet we’ve been saying that for the last 5+ years. Couture recently hinted at retirement should he not get a fight with Shogun or Machida. The UFC quickly granted Couture’s wish. Couture may not be considered a top contender anymore, but a win over Machida would likely make him the next title challenger based on the UFC’s desire for big pay-per-view numbers, which Couture routinely brings.

The last time Couture faced a light heavyweight(Brandon Vera) with legitimate striking things did not go well for “The Natural.” Yet, Randy has always been one to thrive in the underdog role, and this would definitely be one of those times. Machida is evasive, but he has at time withered when hurt. At times, Machida reminds me of Gabriel Gonzaga, who shies away when hurt. It is difficult to peg Machida in that light considering he was only truly hurt in the second fight with Shogun, but it does seem like he is fearful of getting hit, something Couture will look to do often in the clinch. This fight is ripe for an upset if Couture can once again go back to the well and out-strike the striker(Belfort and Liddell). It may all come down to whether Couture’s head is into this fight rather than his burgeoning acting career.