Shogun vs Machida III - who wins?

Say they both come away victorious in their next bouts and this fight is made, based on their recent performances who would you pick and why?

Anyone who picks Rua, I would be curious to see how you see him winning a third fight. I think Machida would cruise to a decision. I don't think Rua has the explosiveness, speed and knees to do what he did in the first fight. I don't think he has looked as fast as he did in the second. I wonder about Machida's durability nowdays and willingness to chase and attack aggressively, but if he was routinely able to land and get out of the way, I could see him hurting Shogun and possibly finishing. Curiously, I also see this is Shogun's best chance at victory, by landing a counter as Machida swarms. The big flaw in Machida's defense is his karate based stance and hand position when he is attacking with combinations that leaves him vulnerable at that moment. Hands down, chin up. Since his style never included learning head movement and defense while actively exchanging like boxing and other stand up styles, he finds himself most vulnerable in the pocket when throwing multiple techniques.

Machida needs to chill out with the aggression too early against stud strikers like Bones and Rua(even a plodding one) and do what he used to do, lull guys into his classic game with elusiveness and karate. Fire off single shots. Pounce if guys get dropped, which usually happens eventually. Before he started putting guys away, he would still drop opponents that way. Less rushing with flurries.

Rua needs stem-cells injected in his knees and TRT.

You're now entering Freakzilla levels of bitch-made with making a poll every time someone disagrees with you.

3 or 5 round fight? That makes huge difference.

Ludo wrote:

You're now entering Freakzilla levels of bitch-made with making a poll every time someone disagrees with you.

LOL I like it how any time anyone posts a poll it is freakzilla who gets referenced. Woteva dude. Eat a box of powdered dick. I just assumed a thread on the topic was needed since it hijacked a different thread. Polls are useful tools when trying to prove a point or judge consensus. We used to do a lot more polls back in the day. No one seems to post them anymore besides freak, who even when he posts a poll based on an ESPN poll, gets butchered for it.

And if I posted a poll anytime someone was wrong here...

Shogun would KO his ass again.

Ninja wrote:

3 or 5 round fight? That makes huge difference.

Huge difference? You think? In what way?

GDPofDRC wrote:

Shogun would KO his ass again.

You really think so? Why?

Because he is better than Machida obviously. He would be 3-0 against him.

GDPofDRC wrote:

Because he is better than Machida obviously. He would be 3-0 against him.

Trolling or fanboy? Both?

Dragon.he got too fiesty last time around. This fight will happen eventually.

Evidently polls are now evil

GDPofDRC wrote:

Because he is better than Machida obviously. He would be 3-0 against him.

this

that was neg worthy, i had to worlfy bear

What was neg worthy? Thinking a guy with no legs, speed or movement can recreate what he did years ago?

This shouldn't even be a debate.

Machida via decision.

freakzilla wrote:

Evidently polls are now evil

Over-exaggerated koala bear is over-exaggerated.

Do this many people really think Rua would beat Machida these days?

Yikes.

Wolfgangsta wrote:

Ninja wrote:

3 or 5 round fight? That makes huge difference.

Huge difference? You think? In what way?

Because Machida does have some cardio issues i.e Shogun 1 and Jones round 2.

Ninja wrote:

Wolfgangsta wrote:

Ninja wrote:

3 or 5 round fight? That makes huge difference.

Huge difference? You think? In what way?

Because Machida does have some cardio issues i.e Shogun 1 and Jones round 2.

I don't think Shogun could push him to where cardio became very big of an issue. Machida's cardio issues aren't that bad. I thought he was hurt in the Jones fight.

The report was actually that he had the flu all week leading up to the fight, which is why he came out so aggressive in the first round. He was looking for an early finish before he ran out of gas.

Machida vs Bones?

Has there ever been a fight where a Brazilian fighter who lost didn't get infected with some illness or shatter some bone the week before?

I got Shogun.

Liu Kang via Dragon like decision.