UFC 98: Evans vs. Machida (May 23rd)

I think Machida has been fun to watch his last few fights and has looked to be more aggressive.
I also wonder if Evans speed will be a factor. It's what has set him apart from his opponents thus far and no matter what you can't beat speed no matter how technical you are.

 

Here's Sean Sherk training for his fight with Frankie Edgar. Make sure you turn the volume off unless you love crappy techno music
http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2009/5/11/872087/sean-sherk-training-at-api-for


you can see why this guy is known for having endless cardio.

 

Wand can be in immaculate shape, but IMO he's taken too many blows to be a contender again. Too much mileage.
Kinda like KG, Duncan and Kobe

 

For anyone in the LA area looking to catch the fight... HARRY O's Bar in El Segundo (www.harryoselsegundo.com) will be showing the EVANS vs. MACHIDA Fight on Saturday, May 23rd starting at 7:00pm ET. Admission is $10 or $5 (reduced) with RSV through: http://www.going.com/EVANSvsMACHIDA. Harry O's is offering special discounts for MMA gym members and clubs. The event will feature UFC themed cocktails, food specials, live guest DJ, and of course the fight displayed on 9 HD Plasma TVs.
To reserve space for parties of 6 or more, contact Matt at Info@HarryOsElSegundo.com.
Cheers,
-Farah
www.myspace.com/phatmatt89 (Harry O's Bar)
www.twitter.com/HarryOsBar

 

Any chance you're opening a bar like that in Ottawa Canada soon??

 

Here's the transcript of a media phone interview with the 4 main event headliners, Evans, Machida, Serra and Hughes.

Without further ado I give you the Evans, Machida, Hughes and Serra conference call:


UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Rashad Evans:
Question to Rashad Evans: A lot of fighters say the hardest part of the sport is keeping that belt. Is there any difference in your mentality now that you’re the guy hunted versus the guy doing the hunting?
Rashad Evans: Honestly, I feel the same. I am actually the underdog going into this fight. So it feels like business as usual.
Question to Rashad Evans: Yeah, about being the underdog. You are currentlya nine-to-five underdog. That is a bit surprising given that you are the champion. Are you insulted by that and do you derive any motivation from that?
Rashad Evans: I don’t take it personal. It doesn’t really matter to me either way. It is not first time I have been the underdog. I haven’t lost yet so…
Question to Rashad Evans: How significant do you think this fight is for MMA given the fact that I can’t remember the last time their was a title fight where neither fighter has been beaten?
Rashad Evans: Winning the fight will certainly be an accomplishment. So yeah, you can think it is a big deal.But when I go into a fight, I don’t worry about whether I am undefeated or not. At the end of the day, it’s just another fight. I am just trying to win that one fight.
Question to Rashad Evans: Fans saw a turning point in your career with the Liddell knockout and you solidified your spot as an elite light heavyweight when you beat Forrest Griffin and took the belt. Did you feel an internal turning out or have you always felt that you’re an elite fighter?
Rashad Evans: I always felt like I was on an elite level and it is just a matter of performing up to that level. Sometimes you go out there and you may feel like you’re going to have a great performance and sometimes you feel like “Damn, I sucked today.” You never know what fights are going to be put together and how you might feel on fight day. My last two fights, I had great performances. I’m going to keep putting those performance together; keep my mindset.
Question to Rashad Evans: When you fight an opponent you usually find a reference point for their biggest vulnerability. With Machida, no one has really been to exploit any weaknesses. What problems have that presented in terms of game planning?
Rashad Evans: It doesn’t present problems. Watching someone fight and breaking them down, sometimes the best ammunition is just knowing what you can do well and seeing that you’ll be able to do that. So, I am not worried about game planning at all.
Question to Rashad Evans: After Keith Jardine’s fight with Rampage Jackson, you and Jackson had a confrontation in the ring. After that fight he had to have surgery. Was there a part of you that wanted Rampage next because he beat your friend and you had that confrontation in the cage?
Rashad Evans: I definitely wanted to fight him but I actually think Lyoto is more deserving of the title shot; I think he is a better fight then Rampage Jackson. He has done more to get the shot; either way I want to fight the best.


UFC Light Heavyweight number one contender Lyoto Machida:
Question to Lyoto Machida: Since thefirst UFC, the goal has been to figure out which marital art is the best. Do you feel Karate is the best martial art for MMA being that you’re undefeated?
Lyoto Machida: I believe that martial art is not what builds the athlete. The athlete builds his own art. It is a matter of how you train and how consistent you are and how you strive for things that determine what kind of athlete you are.
Question to Lyoto Machida: Both you and Rashad have a counter-striking style. Rashad tends to employ a feeling out process and gets stronger as the fight goes on. Will it be important for you to get off to an early start?
Lyoto Machida: I am very relaxed right now. I have trained a lot based on Rashad’s gameplan and built my gameplan for this fight around that. I think Rashad is a great fighter and has had some great performances. For myself, I am going to go out their with a clear mind and do what I train to do.
Question to Lyoto Machida: This is your first main event in the UFC. Do you feel any added pressure not only to win the fight but put on a good show for the fans?

Lyoto Machida: Of course there is always a little pressure for a main event. One of my main priorities is to put on a great performance and really satisfy my fans. If I come out relaxed and focus on the fight it will be a great fight.
Question to Lyoto Machida: You have said that your body is your sword. Can you clarify what that means?
Lyoto Machida: What I mean through this figure of speech is that I see my body as a sword, as a samurai would, because I need to get at my opponent and I need to harm my opponent; that is what I look to do.
Question to Lyoto Machida: Do you feel like your title shot was overdue or it is coming at just the right time?
Lyoto Machida: I think the title shot came at a great time. I have had a lot of time to grow as a fighter. While I could say that it took awhile; it all worked out and I am now perfectly prepared.
Question to Lyoto Machida: You are known to be an elusive counter-striker but Rashad has the belt. Are you going to go after Rashad and take the belt from him, especially if he employs a very conservative gameplan?

Lyoto Machida: It is hard to say before a fight but I will look for my chance to engage. I am aware Rashad is the champion and I will go in there and go after the belt.


Former UFC Welterweight Champion Matt Hughes:
Question to Matt Hughes: You were hugely popular and have a massive following in the sport. Then you go into TUF 6 as a coach against Matt Serra and it seems like a lot of the fans turned to him in respect to the grudge ya’ll have. Do you feel he stole any fans from you and that you have been a bit vilified since the show?
Matt Hughes: No I don’t feel that. If I lost fans because of TUF 6 then they weren’t fans of me before the show and they weren’t really fans to begin with.
Question to Matt Hughes: This fight was supposed to take place awhile back. In the interim both of you have had injuries. How does the fight change in terms of significance and how do you feel about it compared to when it was supposed to happen?
Matt Hughes: I don’t think it changes a whole lot. Yeah we have both had injuries and that happens in our sport. I think the fans still want to see this fight. Obviously the both of us still want this fight. So the bottom line is that nothing has really changed.
Question to Matt Hughes: This is the longest you have gone without fighting. How have you trained differently for fight?
Matt Hughes: Well I am getting older so the time off was pretty nice. I have switched things up a bit and gone out to a lot training camps versus staying close to some.


Former UFC Welterweight Champion Matt Serra:
Question to Matt Serra: Do you feel a swing in the other direction (of fan like or dislike after TUF 6)?
Matt Serra: I think whenever you are an outspoken guy and voice your opinion you are going to have guys that either love you or hate you. I get my fair share of fan mail and I also get hate mail. It is all apart of the game and I don’t mind that aspect. I don’t sweat it either way.
Question for Matt Serra: Some people believe Matt Hughes was one of the best wrestlers in the welterweight division and you were one of the best BJJ practitioners. You are obviously willing to go to the ground with him, but are you going to stand and trade with him? You have said if you punch him in the face it’s a win for you.
Matt Serra: I have really gone back to my roots with the BJJ. I have been working with Renzo Gracie a lot because I feel that is where I can counter what Hughes is good at. When I said Hughes is a one trick phony; I think that was taken out of context a lot.
Matt Hughes has been very good at what he does which is take guys down and beats them up. I know where he is the most dangerous so I have to go back to what I am great at. If it stays on its feet then I feel like I have a great advantage and I will be able to do more damage. And if it goes to the ground I will be ready to rock there too. I am ready for the fight both places.
Question to Matt Serra: Sometimes it helps to have a rival or an enemy in the sport. How much has this feud with Matt Hughes helped to keep you in the public eye?
Matt Serra: Well just to put it out there, nothing is manufactured here. This not fake. It doesn’t matter if the cameras are there or not. Matt Hughes and I are two very different people. So there is no agenda here. That being said, I love the hype. And I love that people either want to see me get beat down or see Hughes get beat down.
Some of the greatest fights are built up by the pre-fight stuff. This is genuine here. I think my fights with St. Pierre and the TUF 6 show also had something to do with be being in the public eye. Did I answer your question right? I do not want to lose to this guy and it got me through a great training camp so I am ready for this fight.
Question to Matt Serra: This fight was supposed to take place awhile back. In the interim both of you have had injuries. How does the fight change in terms of significance and how do you feel about it compared to when it was supposed to happen?

Matt Serra: I am healthy as a horse right now; I feel great. I feel the best I have felt in ages. I think it is a fight that people still want to see. There was a big build up and unfortunately it got pushed back but I am thrilled that is still going down. Better late then never, ya know.
That’s a wrap, folks.

 

Gotta love Machida's answer's. That guy is a total martial artist in that very traditional sense IMO.
He's going to be 80 years old and ppl will seek him out for nuggest of wisdom.

 

A good and long Loyoto Machida interview

Elusive. Methodical. Unbeaten.
There are plenty of adjectives available to describe Lyoto Machida’s style inside the Octagon. One not frequently heard however, was “aggressive.”
That all changed at UFC 94.
“The Dragon” gave fellow Brazilian Thiago Silva a taste of his own medicine when he knocked him out on the main card of “St. Pierre vs. Penn 2″ last January.
It was an exclamation point on the evolution of his career, that at times was criticized for being a bit too elusive — even boring at times.
That same style was also believed to be the reason Machida was being denied, what many considered, a long overdue title shot. Unfazed, Machida remained loyal to himself and to his craft, and in the process changed the way fans and fighters view the effectiveness of Karate inside the Octagon.
Now Machida has been given one final test: A UFC 98 light heavyweight title fight against undefeated champion “Sugar” Rashad Evans. Like Machida, Evans faced early criticism for his ability to finish — until he knocked out former 205-pound kingpin Chuck Liddell.
We recently had the opportunity to speak with Machida, a day before he flew out of Brazil. He touched on everything from his relationship with Anderson Silva, his respect of Fedor Emelianenko, the upcoming title fight with Rashad Evans and a whole lot more.
Check it out.

Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): Your father is Shotokan Karate Master Yoshizo Machida. What was your relationship like with your father growing up?
Lyoto Machida: My father was a very tough guy with me and my brothers. He wanted to teach us a lot of discipline and life philosophy. As I became more interested in martial arts, he started teaching a lot of fighting philosophy and karate philosophy. While he was a tough father, he also knew when to be sweet and show a softer side.
Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): You were born the third son. What is your relationship like with your two older brothers and what do they do for a career?
Lyoto Machida: We had a close relationship and spend a lot of time together growing up talking about everything that went on. One of my brothers teaches karate at our gym and also handles the administrative side of the gym. My other brother is a fighter like me and teaches a class at the gym. So my brothers are always at the gym together training.
Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): You began training in karate at the age of three and earned a black belt at the age of 13. You began training in sumo at 12 and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at 15. Can you tell us about those three different art forms and how each one helps you as a mixed martial artist?
Lyoto Machida: Karate is my main martial art; that is what I train in every day. It has always been in my life. Sumo is another Japanese martial art that I got into at an early age. It is something that has helped and added to my overall stance and is a good base. It is not something I necessarily use in all my fights though.
I have been practicing Jiu-Jitsu ever since I started watching the UFC. I knew it was something I had to learn to be a full rounded fighter. I wanted to be prepared for when BJJ guys would come to my karate gym and challenge us to a fight.
Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): In your fight with Thiago Silva you appeared to be more aggressive and looked to finish the fight early on. Did you change your style for that fight because MMA fans thought your style was too elusive and unorthodox?
Lyoto Machida: A lot of it has to do with wanting to please my fans; that is something I feel I need to do. It is also me training and growing more mature. Seeing the mistakes that I have made has allowed me to evolve into a different fighter; being more aggressive out there.
Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): Your unorthodox southpaw stance is what really frustrates your opponents. Do you consider that your greatest advantage in the cage?
Lyoto Machida: The way I stand and my posture really complicates my opponents; they don’t understand it and don’t know what to do about. The way I stand there in front of them really throws them off. Karate is certainly my greatest advantage; being able to adapt it to MMA makes me stand out.
Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): Tito Ortiz said you were very elusive and it was tough to chase you down. He called you a great fighter. What did you learn about yourself as a warrior in your fight with Ortiz?
Lyoto Machida: I grew a lot as a fighter in that fight. First of all, Tito is a big name and people were cheering for Tito. He is one of the most famous out there still and a lot of my learning involved fighting such a big name in the States. Also, when Tito had me in the triangle I learned a lot about myself, how to come down, come to my senses, and get out of it.
Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): Anderson Silva has said he would never fight for the light heavyweight belt because he feels you are the rightful heir to the crown. How do you feel about Anderson Silva and his statement?
Lyoto Machida: I am great friends with Anderson and it makes me happy to hear him say that. I think Anderson if the type of fighter that could win the belt at any weight class. It all depends on his weight and how he cuts it. Anderson is so multi–talented he can do well wherever he wants. I am happy that Anderson has his own weight class to fight in; I believe I can win the belt in my weight class so the situation makes me happy.
Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): The two MMA fighters who have been hit the least in the cage are you and Fedor Emelianenko. What are your thoughts on Fedor as a fighter and what are your thoughts on his primary discipline, Sambo?
Lyoto Machida: Fedor is a well deserving champion; he is a very determined guy. Fedor has adapted his Sambo to great lengths for MMA. Fedor knows exactly what he wants and determined to get what he wants. He prepares himself both physically and mentally. He is so well conditioned and such a well rounded fighter.
Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): You recently said that you have developed a game plan around Rashad Evans style of fighting. What is Rashad’s greatest strength and what is his greatest weakness?
Lyoto Machida: Rashad is definitely a well rounded fighter. He has got really fast hands and really good takedowns. I don’t want to get into his weaknesses here; I will leave that for the fans to see May 23. What I can say; the weakness Rashad has is where I will catch him.
Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): If Rashad is able to take you to the ground and get in your guard will you be comfortable fighting off your back and work for submissions?
Lyoto Machida: I have trained for that a lot so if Rashad happens to end up in my guard…he will become very bothered because I will not stop attacking from that position.
Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): If you beat Rashad Evans at your UFC 98 title fight, you will face Quinton “Rampage” Jackson next. What are your thoughts on him as a fighter?
Lyoto Machida: Quinton is definitely a tough fighter and his strengths are obvious. I am not thinking about Quinton though. I will focus on Rashad and see what happens after the fight.
Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): You have an undefeated record in MMA. Is your undefeated record important to you or something you think about?
Lyoto Machida: My perfect record, for sure, it is something that is important to me. It is not something I think about too much though or else you become stuck on the thought of keeping a perfect record and that is where the pressure begins.
Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): It seems important for a fighter from another country to speak good English to be more marketable. You gave a great speech after your UFC 94 fight. Are you improving your English so you can speak to those fans more?
Lyoto Machida: I have been studying a lot of English, reading a lot. I am learning my English. I am looking forward to fighting in the States; I am going to be speaking English a lot more this time.
Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): You have said ever since you saw Royce Gracie fight in the UFC you wanted to do no-rules fighting. What do you think about the current rules in MMA and would you change any of the current rules?
Lyoto Machida: I like the rules because it adds to the show. If it were not for the rules it would not be such a big spectacle; so the rules make sense for the sport.
Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): Thank you Lyoto. We look forward to seeing you use your ‘body as a sword’ at UFC 98.
Lyoto Machida: Thank you for the opportunity and I look forward to being out there for the fans May 23.