The Natural Looks to Slay the Dragon

A 47 year old getting punched in the face, sounds like a crime doesn’t it? Its not, its just MMA legend and Hall of Famer Randy Couture’s way of life, and has been for a very long time.
For Lyoto Machida, while 15 years Couture’s junior, this has actually been his way of life much longer. Beginning at age three, Machida already had his karate black belt by the age of 13, a feat many fighters don’t achieve until their mid-twenties.
Couture did not start fighting out of the womb, but he does have a relatively impressive background. He isn’t called “The Natural” for no reason, after all. Couture began wrestling while in high school, and dabbled in boxing and wrestling while he served in the Army from 1982 until 1988 when his six-year service ended. He then attended Oklahoma State, which bolsters an incredible wrestling program. After earning three All-American awards, he moved on to the UFC and made his debut at UFC 13, winning the four-man tournament. This tournament was the first show of Couture’s incredible heart, as both of his opponents outweighed him by over 100 pounds.
While Couture was in the US winning UFC tournaments, and multiple heavyweight championships, Machida was in Brazil competing in karate as an amateur. In 2001, one year after Couture had captured his second UFC Heavyweight title, he won the 2001 Pan American Karate tournament. Machida finally put all of his many martial arts together and began competing in MMA in 2003 in Japan’s New Japan Pro Wrestling.
Both Machida and Couture have some of the most impressive records in all of MMA. Between them, they have 18 title fights, 15 of them being Couture’s, and each holds several notable victories.
Machida has beaten the likes of Stephan Bonnar, Rich Franklin, B.J. Penn, Tito Ortiz and Rashad Evans to only name a few. Couture has compiled an impressive record, beating Vitor Belfort, Jeremy Horn, Tito Ortiz, Chuck Liddell and Mark Coleman. Each fighter has beaten too many impressive opponents to list, and these are two of the most impressive records in the UFC. Machida as he currently stands is 16-2 and Couture holds a record of 19-10.
Couture is riding a three-fight win streak, including Coleman, but his other two opponents in that span can be seen as cans. Brandon Vera, who has flirted with expulsion from the UFC several times, and only remains signed because of a technicality, and former boxer James Toney round out the streak.

Machida, according to UFC President Dana White, is on the hot seat and in a “must win” situation. Machida was on a 16 fight undefeated streak, until he lost his rematch with Mauricio “Shogun” Rua in May of 2010. He rattled off eight wins in a row under the UFC banner and is now slumping with back-to-back losses.
His split decision loss to Quinton “Rampage” Jackson was highly controversial, as not much action happened in the fight, until the third round where it was almost universally agreed that Machida had won. The judges saw different, and handed Machida his second consecutive loss, and second of his career. Rampage saw the fight much as everyone else did, very close. He offered an immediate rematch to Machida as he felt their fight did not constitute a clear winner. White saw different as well, and agreeing whole-heartedly with the decision, denied the rematch.
It was then decided that Machida would face six-time UFC titleholder Randy Couture in hopes of ending his slide. While this may be a matchup Couture wanted, it is a nightmare for The Natural.
Couture will want to utilize his wrestling and ground and pound, maybe even a choke to end the fight. Machida is the absolute most elusive striker in the UFC so to even get him to the ground will be tough. The Octagon is only so big so it will go to the ground eventually, but Couture will have to be careful. Machida has one of the best submission games in the UFC, and is very dangerous out of his guard.
Machida’s style may seem boring, but it is actually the most artistic and fluid style in MMA today. Each attack is carefully planned out, and while he may be a “boring fighter” because he grinds out a lot of decision victories, they are just that, victories. Machida has also shown the ability to finish a fight when he gets the opportunity as he did to win the UFC Light Heavyweight title over undefeated challenger Rashad Evans.
Machida is the most veteran in a certain breed of fighters in the UFC today. He, along with welterweight champ Georges St-Pierre and Jon Fitch have all been labeled as some of the most boring fighters in the UFC. They may appear boring, but they are some of the most technical and best fighters in the UFC. Look for this fight to be another long one in Machida’s career, and look for him to do everything in his power to avoid the wrestling of Couture, even if that means straight backpedaling. Machida wins by decision.