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Archive for the 'Lyoto Machida' Category


Kazuhiro Nakamura: Released, but not forgotten PART V

Posted by Kendall Shields on 31st July 2008

How have you weathered these thirty days since Kazuhiro Nakamura’s untimely release from his UFC contract, friends? Have you felt adrift? I admit that I have, a little. But I have found some measure of comfort in this disproportionate career retrospective of ours, and I hope you have as well. Disproportionate career retrospectives comforteth like sunshine after rain, it is said, and I hope this has been as true for you as it has been for me.

When we began our look back, we proceeded from three essential Kazuhiro Nakamura truths: (i) that he came to mixed martial arts from a fine career as a judo player, holding championships in international B and C level tournaments, and an impressive third-place showing in the 2001 Japanese national championships; (ii) that he managed to adapt his judo nage waza or throwing techniques to mixed martial arts better than some others (such as his training partner Hidehiko Yoshida or Polish judo legend/walking pharmacy Pawe? Nastula) who possess far more impressive judo credentials; and (iii) that while he has competed well against the best light heavyweight competition this sport has to offer, he has always been on the outside of that group looking in, never quite able to make the leap from his division’s second tier into its highest ranks. Despite having more going for him than most on the level of technique, both grappling and striking, Nakamura has never really turned out to be what it looked like he could be. Imagine Bas Rutten’s disappointment, and what the burden of that must feel like.

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Posted in Kendall Shields, Lyoto Machida, Mauricio Rua, judo, kazuhiro nakamura | 4 Comments »

Lyoto Machida: The Forgotten

Posted by Dave Walsh on 29th July 2008

I was watching the fantastic Margarito vs. Cotto fight on Saturday, and all of the talk surrounding Margarito was that nobody wants to fight him. He has an aura around him as a legit tough contender that can damage a money-making reputation. This brought up one name in my head, one fighter in MMA that fits that profile: Lyoto Machida. Lyoto is a fighter that has, in just a short amount of time, made quite a name for himself. Right now, the name is one that high level competition are flat out looking to avoid right now. Lyoto has always had an aura around him, always been met with a certain degree of hype, only to then confuse both fighters and fans.

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Posted in Dave Walsh, Lyoto Machida, UFC | 19 Comments »

Figuring Out The UFC’s Light Heavyweight Dilemma

Posted by Bill Thompson on 25th May 2008

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Wanderlei Silva knocks out Keith Jardine in under a minute. Goran Reljic knocks out Wilson Gouveia after a round and a half of sloppily striking around the cage. Sure, there were other light heavyweight fights on the card last night, and fights from other divisions that were better, but these two fights helped to spiral a division even further out of control. How is it possible for one division to have no idea where to go next, let’s take a look at some of the fighters and figure out why,

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Posted in Bill Thompson, Chuck Liddell, Forrest Griffin, Light Heavyweights, Lyoto Machida, Quinton Rampage Jackson, Rashad Evans, UFC, Wanderlei Silva | No Comments »