While “The Dragon” may finally have an adversary to focus on, the extended break was apparently so bothersome he even considered taking a fight at middleweight to speed the process up. However, his management team convinced him to remain calm.

“My objective is to fight at (light heavyweight) but there would be no problem fighting at middleweight. Anderson (Silva) is a friend of mine,” said Machida in an interview with O Globo. “(Middleweight) is his, but I would take a fight to keep me busy. The important thing is to keep fighting. I would fight there, but only with the objective of keeping me busy.”

Now, with Bader in his sights, Machida is ready to prepare for the challenge at hand rather than the adversity created by a drop down in weight-class. In fact, the former champion is looking forward to facing Bader who has been on his radar for some time.

“He is a great athlete. We already met on TUF when I made a visit (as a guest coach for Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira). I have respect for him…I am very motivated and willing to fight against any one who is on his level…and he is among the tops,” explained Machida, pointing to Bader’s recent win over Quinton Jackson.

Bader-Machida is set for August 4 in Los Angeles on a card also featuring Travis Browne vs. Ben Rothwell and Brian Stann vs. Hector Lombard.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Their bout was confirmed Monday night by UFC officials, making it the second announced outing for the August 4 card in as many days after the recent revealing of Brian Stann vs. Hector Lombard.

Machida is coming off a submission loss to Jon Jones, his third defeat in four previous pairings including a razor-thin decision to Quinton Jackson and TKO to Mauricio Rua. However, the stumbles are the only three of Machida’s career with the Brazilian holding an overall record of 17-3 with past wins over the likes of Rua, Randy Couture, Thiago Silva, Tito Ortiz, and Rashad Evans.

Like Machida, the 14-2 Bader’s only in-ring blemishes came against men who have held UFC gold (Jones/Ortiz). Since his shocking loss to Ortiz last July he has racked up back-to-back victories with his most recent involving an outpointing of Jackson at UFC 144.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Among those high on his list are a third fight with Lyoto Machida and a spot as a coach on The Ultimate Fighter. And, being the good guy he is, Rua wants to make things easy by combining the two into a single concept by pairing them against each other on the reality show.

“Of course it is my desire to do a TUF, which is a program where people see everything that passes for the fighter,” said Rua, in an interview with Portal Do Vale Tudo. ““Lyoto would make it even more interesting…and consider how good this third fight will sell.”

Rua and Machida battled over the divisional belt twice before with each fighter holding a win over the other. With the UFC making it a priority to send TUF internationally, the with high numbers already for the first season of the show in Brazil, the idea that Rua and Machida would make for good TV seems obvious under the TUF Brasil format.

“Shogun” has not competed since a decision loss to Dan Henderson late in 2011, while “The Dragon” is also coming off a defeat occurring when Jon Jones chocked him unconscious in their December bout for the UFC title.

PHOTO CREDIT – FEG/UFC

Machida expressed his desire to hook up with “Hendo” in a recent interview where he also reaffirmed the possibility of dropping to middleweight in the near future.

When asked about Henderson in an interview with Sherdog, the 33-year old Brazilian said, “I would be really honored to face him. At 41 years old and competing at such a high level, he’s an example for our sport. The fight he had with ‘Shogun’ (Mauricio Rua) was unbelievable. I think we could have a great fight.”

Machida, currently healing up from elbow surgery, says he plans to be ready to return to training in early February and hopes to fight in April/May. If a bout with Henderson doesn’t work out based on Evans potentially beating Phil Davis this weekend, Machida also has his eye on another top contender in action at UFC on FOX 2.

“Actually, I never had an interest in facing (Chael Sonnen), but he did so much trash talking that I started to have an interest because I’m not the kind of person who likes to say a lot of bad stuff about my opponents,” revealed Machida. “I’d rather fight and see what happens. I think that fight could happen, but that will depend on whether or not he fights Anderson (Silva).”

Sonnen, who has also taken shots at Machida in the media, will earn an opportunity to face rival Silva if he comes away with his hand raised tomorrow night against Michael Bisping. Comparably, “The Dragon” last fought in December where he was submitted by Jones in the second round of their headliner after putting together an excellent first frame against the champ.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Thus, “The Dragon” hopes he can eventually get back in contention to face the current UFC 205-pound champ once again. However, Machida is currently just 1-3 in his last four bouts, including the submission loss to “Bones” recently.

That being said, for Machida, a future in the UFC’s middleweight division is what is his future apparently holds, especially once friend Anderson Silva retires from the sport. Silva is the reigning UFC 185-pound champion and a training partner of Machida’s.

“Now, I don’t want to change – but if I am not the light heavyweight champion, it really could happen,” said Machida, in a recent interview with Fighters Only. “I lost (to Jones), but I still have three more fights at UFC and now my main goal is to be the champion of the weight class and bring the belt back to Para. Now it is a challenge to beat Jones and bounce back.”

Machida’s three losses have come to some of the elite in the UFC’s light heavyweight division, as he has lost to Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, and Jones. All three men have either worn the UFC title or are currently wearing the belt.

As for the loss to Jones, Machida says, “We already know the path to get to him and in the next fight the things should happen with more ease. I think we always have to be learning something out of this and it is through the loss that we learn more than with the victory. I am a professional and it is part of my career: to win or to lose. I hope the next time we can celebrate together.”

Machida was hitting Jones more than most have, as “The Dragon” seemed to be on top of his game through the first five minutes. But, once Jones landed with a big elbow that left a deep dash on Machida’s head, the end seemed to be near. Machida eventually passed out due to a standing choke in the second round, suffering his first career loss by submission.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

However, after receiving a powerful elbow to the head that left him cut open, Machida was choked out by Jones in the second round, dropping his record to 1-3 in his last four UFC bouts after opening his career up with sixteen straight wins.

Machida looked as if he had figured out how to avoid the long reach of Jones in the early stages, rocking the champion with a few kicks and punches of his own.

“The preparation was tougher in all aspects,” said Machida in an interview with Tatame. “We went there and tried to do our job. We set a game plan that, from where I’m standing, until a certain moment, was working. But, he landed that elbow and I got dizzy, I couldn’t see things straight anymore and it disturbed me because I couldn’t see.”

Machida seemed to be ahead on the scorecards in the eyes of many, but when the views of the fight judges were revealed later, Jones had won the opening round on two of the three cards, much to the surprise of Machida.

“There was a guy from the event who came to talk to me because he argued with the judges because they had scored the win for him, and he asked how could they do it, and they said that only on the replay they really saw it, so it was confusing,” Machida said. “But we never know how they evaluate it, if they have enough time to do it, so we gotta see their side too, but it’s an athlete’s life and career that is on line there.”

For now, Machida said he plans on continuing his training and awaiting word from the UFC who they would like to set him up against next.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Jon Jones

Now, Jones, who is the current 205-pound champion, gets his opportunity to test out “The Dragon” when the two meet in the main event of UFC 140 on December 10 from Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

“Bones” has already competed three times this year, defeating Ryan Bader to earn a shot at the title, as well as the fighter who took the belt from Machida – Mauricio “Shogun” Rua. Jones stopped Rua, having since successfully defended his crown with a submission victory over Quinton “Rampage” Jackson earlier this month.

In terms of Machida, who was last seen knocking out Randy Couture and sending him to retirement, Jones believes the mystique of Machida is no longer the same due to a pair of losses he suffered against Rua and Jackson.

“We’re not fighting the undefeated Lyoto Machida anymore,” said Jones, in an interview with The Fight Network recently. “I’ve watched him lose several rounds now through studying and I just happen to have two coaches that are southpaws now as well, so there’s a lot of knowledge in my camp about fighting guys with opposite stances.”

Ever the student, Jones is already breaking down video of Machida, saying, “We feel comfortable, we feel as if there’s been some blueprints laid out (in terms of defeating Machida). Obviously, we will come up with our own blueprint, take from what we’ve seen and make it an even greater defeat. We’re excited. We’re up to the challenge.

Along with Jones-Machida, UFC 140 will feature Frank Mir meeting Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Tito Ortiz taking on Antonio Rogerio Nogueira.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Even with all that being said, I think Lyoto Machida will beat Jones on December 10 in Toronto.

I may be wrong, as I’ve certainly been wrong about Machida before. Jones has appeared virtually unstoppable since arriving in the UFC, but of course the same was said about Machida during his run up to the title. MMAth certainly doesn’t help me, since Machida lost to Shogun and Jones beat Shogun with ease. Machida’s mystique has already been cracked yet Jones appears to be Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America every time he’s in the cage.

So why do I think “The Dragon” will dethrone “Bones” Jones?

The first reason is a matter of timing. Jones is a warrior and one of the best embodiments of a pure athlete, but he is also human. When Jones meets Machida in the center of the octagon in December it will be his fourth fight in a little over ten months. Add in to that the fact that he’s been training essentially nonstop between those fights and fatigue is a very real possibility.

Let’s not forget that those three fights he’s already had have been against some of the best fighters in the UFC. All three men were top ten fighters when Jones faced them, and you could make the case that the biggest challenge is yet to come. Machida may not be the invincible warrior he was a few years ago but he’s still one of the most unique fighters in the sport of MMA. I know Greg Jackson has a world-class facility in New Mexico but I doubt he has any guys on his team that are masters of Shotokan karate.

If this fight stays on the feet I have to believe that the edge goes to Machida. He’s still extremely hard to hit, although he’s obviously never faced anyone with the reach of Jones. If the two do engage any back-and-forth exchanges it’s probably going to be Jones that takes the most punishment. Let’s also not forget that Jones has yet to show any true knockout power since joining the UFC, and at the same time we don’t know how well his chin will hold up if it’s hit repeatedly over the course of a potential five rounds. If you don’t think Machida can knock Jones out, I’ve got a UFC Hall of Fame member’s tooth that I’d love to sell you.

It’s also important to note that this is Jones’ first time facing a southpaw. Jones is still learning how to be an effective striker, as his genetic gifts have been able to cover up a lot of the holes in his boxing. If there’s a single fighter at light heavyweight who is great at finding those holes and exploiting them, it’s Machida.

The easy solution may be for Jones to turn this into a ground battle, and it’s this area where he will likely win the fight if he is indeed victorious. Jones has some of the best ground and pound of any fighter in the modern era of the sport, and Machida will likely be in trouble if he’s put on his back.

That being said, I’m not sure if Jones can get the fight there. Jones brings those amazing throws and trips that work so well, but Machida’s balance is simply uncanny. He’s got plenty of experience in wrestling and sumo and has proven several times over that his takedown defense is top notch. If Jones decides to clinch with Machida he could be making a big mistake given how well Machida utilized the clinch in his destruction of Thiago Silva.

Again, Jones is a genetic freak so if anybody can put Machida on his back it’s probably the champ. We can’t forget that Machida is a black belt in BJJ even though we rarely see his ground game in effect during his fights. Jones’ reach advantage could work against him should the two fighters spend any real time on the ground, as those long limbs give Machida even more to grab a hold of before attempting any limb-based submissions.

Let’s review. Jones is facing (arguably) the toughest opponent of his career, on shorter notice than usual, at the tail end of a four-fight blitz through the upper levels of the division. Jones will have to figure out how to defeat the fighter that is like no other, who has very real knockout power, and who will probably test his chin like it’s never been tested before. If Jones wants to take Machida down he will likely have a very hard time doing so, and even if he gets the fight there he’s dealing with a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

It’s so hard to try and accurately predict what will happen in the cage when these two meet in eight weeks. This is the fight I wanted to see from the moment Jones won the strap, and I can’t wait to see how it unfolds. Seeing as we’re still two months out I reserve the right to change my mind, but for now I like Machida’s chances to hand Jones the first legitimate loss on the young champion’s record.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

While the situation may be new to Machida it’s certainly not one affecting him in a negative way. In fact, he actually plans to use it to his advantage.

“The fight will be decided in the Octagon,” Machida explained in an interview with Sherdog. “Let him be the favorite. He’ll enter with the label of being a prodigy, but I’ll be stronger because of that. Since I’m the underdog, I will enter the fight even more motivated to show that I deserve to be here and to show why they offered me the chance.”

That isn’t to say Machida is looking past the challenges “Bones” is sure to offer. In fact, he’s still unsure of exactly what it will take to beat the dynamic 205-pound champion even though he’s confident in his ability to do so.

“It’s hard to say what the perfect style is to stop Jones,” said Machida on the subject. “I have a lot of trust in my skills against any fighter. I won’t change what people have seen, and I’d rather show them in the Octagon instead of talking about it beforehand. Jones wasn’t my problem until the UFC booked the fight. I’ll spend a lot of time studying him and find the best way to stop him. I know he’s versatile, but I have my own talents and know what it takes to win.”

Machida may also have a secret weapon in his corner to assist in the task at hand – Anderson Silva. The 33-year old revealed he had already reached out to the pound-for-pound great in hopes “The Spider” might be able to fit it into his schedule though he’s not relying on Silva’s assistance.

“I can’t count on that because he has so many obligations, and I respect that. He’s the biggest name in MMA. I would love to have him beside me for this camp and he will be welcomed if he joins us, but I don’t want to count on him and not have it happen.”

Jones and Machida will meet on December 10 in Toronto as the main event of UFC 140. Other match-ups on the card include Frank Mir vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Tito Ortiz vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira. Canadians Mark Bocek, Mark Hominick, and Rory MacDonald are also booked for action at the show.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

News of the match-up was revealed today by Dana White after the UFC President informed fans earlier this week that Evans was on the shelf while recovering from a medical procedure on an injured hand.

Jones is 14-1 since turning pro less than four years ago with the only flaw on his otherwise perfect record involving a disqualification against Matt Hamill (who he was soundly beating beforehand). The December 10 dance with Machida will mark the fourth fight for “Bones” in 2011 with finishing performances against Ryan Bader, Mauricio Rua, and most recently Quinton Jackson.

Comparably, Machida is 17-2 overall but hasn’t had Jones’ success as of late after splitting his last four fights. However, digging deeper also reveals one of his two wins came against over-the-hill Randy Couture with the other being a controversial decision against Rua at UFC 104.

UFC 140 will also feature former heavyweight title-holders Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Frank Mir mixing it up on the main card, as well as MMA icon Tito Ortiz throwing down with Antonio Rogerio Nogueira.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

According to a multiple reports, undefeated 205er Phil Davis has been forced to withdraw from his scheduled bout with Rashad Evans at UFC 133 after suffering an undisclosed knee injury in training. MMAFighting was the first to relay news of the pending change to the August 6 lineup where it was also stated the UFC is expected to announce a replacement in the next few days.

In a related story, Brazilian publication Tatame has cited Lyoto Machida’s wife as informing them her husband was offered a rematch with Evans but had not decided on whether or not he would accept it given the turnaround time. The two former title-holders first fought in 2009 at UFC 98 where Machida knocked Evans out in the second round to win the UFC light heavyweight belt.

UPDATE: It has since been reported she’s come forward to say her husband has declined the short-notice fight.

Regardless of who Evans is paired against in Philadelphia, it appears the 15-1 Ultimate Fighter season-winner will now receive his third scheduled opponent after injuries claimed his first two foes, Davis and current champion Jon Jones. Adding another layer of difficulty to the situation, the bout also marks the first in-ring appearance for “Sugar” ‘Shad since beating Quinton Jackson more than a year ago at UFC 114.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Jon Fitch Gives Final Thoughts on UFC 127 Fight with B.J. Penn (MMAFighting.com)

Michael Bisping and Jorge Rivera Share an Intense Staredown at the UFC 127 Presser (CagePotato.com)

A Look at the Top Aussies in MMA (FIGHT! Magazine)

Cub Swanson Out of UFC on Versus 3 Bout (HeavyMMA.com)

Check Out Video of Anderson Silva Sparring with Lyoto Machida (MMAScraps.com)

Fedor Emelianenko Considering Training in Holland (MMAConvert.com)

Phil Baroni Offers Brandon Vera Impression (MiddleEasy.com)

A Look at the UFC 127 Open Workouts (Versus.com

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

News of the fight and both parties’ interest was reported by MMAFighting.

Couture had previously hinted at hanging his gloves up for good based on his rising profile in Hollywood and feeling his last two fights were “novelty” bouts (Mark Coleman / James Toney), saying on ESPN’s MMA Live, “They didn’t really matter in the division, they didn’t put me any closer to a title.”

In Machida, the iconic Mixed Martial Artist will attempt to solve an extremely motivated 16-2 riddle emerging victorious in sixteen straight appearances to open his career up. However, “The Dragon” is coming off a mildly questionable split decision loss to Quinton “Rampage” Jackson a few months ago at UFC 123 and dropped the light heavyweight title a bout earlier by way of first-round knockout to Mauricio “Shogun” Rua in May, so he clearly has a lot on the line in terms of avoiding a three-fight losing streak. Prior to the defeats the crafty Brazilian had notched a number of notable wins including those over Rua, Rashad Evans, Tito Ortiz, and Thiago Silva.

That being said, you should never consider my rankings gospel. When two finely-tuned individuals step into a cage and let loose the difference between consciousness and looking up at the ceiling is a matter of milliseconds no matter who is ranked where. The individuality inherently involved in a subjective endeavor like ranking fighters, many of whom could easily be argued as deserving different spots based on personal criteria, is not only recognized on Five Ounces’ end but also encouraged in the form of offering your own lists in the “Comments” section below.

1. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua (19-4)

When healthy there is no better light heavyweight than Rua, though in fairness his overall durability deserves questioning based on a number of injury-related issues he’s had in his career.

2. Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (31-8)

Jackson is as tough a draw as can be had at 205-pounds. He hasn’t been finished in more than five years, and both of his decision-losses in that period were extremely close results that could have gone either way. Though some may argue Machida deserved the judges’ favor at UFC 123 I felt Jackson did enough over the first two rounds in comparison to “The Dragon” to earn the win, and based on it in addition to his other past performances I think his body of work merits the “runner up” slot in these rankings.

3. Lyoto Machida (16-2)

If Machida had been able to pull out a clear-cut win over “Rampage” last weekend I think there would have been grounds for debate in terms of him potentially leap-frogging Rua. Compare their activity since 2007 and you’ll see what I mean. However, the dynamic Brazilian lost (mainly due to his slow-starting style) and went from sixteen straight wins to a two-fight slide.

4. Rashad Evans (15-1-1)

Evans’ wins may not always be as pretty as his custom-made suits, but he gets the job done with heavy hands, excellent footwork, and a rock-solid wrestling base. However, he’s been somewhat inactive over the past few years (five total fights) and nearly stumbled late in his bouts against “Rampage” and Thiago Silva after coming off a nasty knockout to Machida.

5. Jon Jones (11-1)

Jones is a downward-elbow away from being 12-0, so it’s hard to find fault in him for the DQ loss to Matt Hamill a year ago. At 23, he’s mature for his age and has yet to show any real weaknesses in his game. He is not only the future at light heavyweight, but also very much the present, and with the dominating victories he’s racked up thus far in his career it seems to be a given he’ll fight for a UFC title sooner than later.

6. Forrest Griffin (17-6)

The affable, original TUF champ has been out of action since November 2009 so he’s only holding on to his ranking by a thread. However, when he isn’t sidelined with an injury, Griffin has found a way to will himself to victory against the cream of MMA’s crop. He’s large for a LHW, has good hands and equally decent wrestling, and also possesses an underrated set of jiu-jitsu skills. While his year-long absence from the ring could be cause to remove him completely from this list it would only be a formality since he’s scheduled to fight in February 2011 against Rich Franklin.

7. Gegard Mousasi (30-3-1)

The next three athletes on this list are almost 7A, 7B, and 7C for me. However, Mousasi gets the official nod at “7” because he has ten more total bouts than Bader/Cavalcante combined. He’s beaten a number of talented opponents in various weight-classes and is 17-1 since August 2006. If he had 1-2 bigger wins at 205-pounds he’d be at “6” with Griffin sliding down a notch.

8. Ryan Bader (12-0)

Undefeated in twelve fights, Bader has had strong showings against ranked LHWs and rarely found himself in a compromising position at any point in his career. His overall package needs refining but has absolutely the raw skills to keep climbing the divisional ladder while ironing his weaknesses out.

9. Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante (10-2)

If it wasn’t for Cavalcante’s TKO loss to Mike Kyle in June 2009 he’d likely be a few spots higher than he currently is. The Strikeforce champ has great hands for a BJJ guy, but still needs to show his skills against a higher level of adversary before sniffing a “Top 5” nod.

10. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (19-4)

“Little Nog” had won seven-straight before losing a close decision to Bader at UFC 119. With past wins over Dan Henderson and Alistair Overeem, as well as his more-recent success in the ring, Nogueira is definitely still a “Top 10” LHW regardless of the defeat.

11. Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal (7-1)

In Lawal’s case I’m admittedly ranking him more on potential rather than what he’s actually accomplished in the cage. He’s extremely talented, but still fairly new to MMA and needs a bit of polishing. If he can put together a few injury-free years and keep working on his game I can see his natural ability and incredible mind for the sport taking him all the way to the top of this list.

12. Anderson Silva (27-4)

If Silva had another win or two at light heavyweight he would easily be part of my “Top 10”. However, until he makes a more-permanent jump to the division I have a hard time putting him amongst the best (though I don’t doubt he’d easily climb there with the move).

13. Thiago Silva (14-2)

Though Silva has fallen in two of his last three bouts, the losses came to #3 and #4 on this list. Beyond that he’s finished thirteen of the fourteen other foes he’s faced in his career. Unfortunately, he’s also fought injured a number of times and is only now getting close to being healthy after suffering a back injury. Perhaps it goes without saying, but without a doubt his upcoming scrap with Brandon Vera is definitely be one of the most-important fights in his career as far as determining his future in MMA.

15. Rich Franklin (28-5)

Franklin has only fought a few times at 205 but he’s looked good in nearly all of of his professional showings with the only stumbles coming against MMA’s elite (Silva, Machida, Vitor Belfort, and a controversial split-decision to Dan Henderson). Regardless of how bad his losses were to the Brazilian group on that list, I’d pick “Ace” over the majority of the sport’s 205ers based on what he’s done so far in the division and his overall offerings in the ring.

15. Matt Hamill (10-2)

This spot is a toss-up in a lot of ways for me, as there are definitely a few other LHWs who are nearly if not equally deserving of the “Top 15” distinction. Ah, subjectivity! However, Hamill stands out to me based on his heart, chin, and combination of wrestling/power. He can grind most opponents down to a pulp to procure a decision or knock them out, whether standing or in top position. His win over Tito Ortiz was impressive in the sense he out-wrestled the former light heavyweight champ and looked sharp on his feet as well. Clearly Ortiz is not be what he used to be, but “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” is still a game competitor and Hamill’s performance against him deserves to be respected.

Honorable Mentions

Dan Henderson (25-8): “Hendo” has wins over a handful of respected 205ers, including PRIDE-era Wanderlei Silva and Belfort, as well as middleweights and even heavyweights including Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira from a decade ago. The double-divisional champion’s wrestling credentials speak for themselves and he also packs enough power to have inspired a catalog of humorous, digitally altered shots of Michael Bisping’s separation from consciousness at UFC 100 (his eleventh win by way of strikes).
Renato “Babalu” Sobral (36-8): Though most of his biggest victories come more than five years ago, Sobral is an apt competitor who has solid stand-up and, with eighteen career submission wins, an obvious arsenal on the ground. He’s also one of the two men to have legitimately finished the top name on this list (a third-round Guillotine Choke of Rua coming in the second tier of a one-night tournament in 2003 after having already gone fifteen minutes against seasoned veteran Trevor Prangley).
Vladimir Matyushenko (25-5): Matyushenko, who has won twelve of his last fourteen bouts, is still seeking a career-defining win to show his decision victory over “Little Nog” eight years ago wasn’t the pinnacle of his journey in MMA. However, there’s no doubting “The Janitor” knows how to clean up in the cage from a success standpoint. He’s beaten a number of tough opponents while never having been submitted a single time in thirty total fights. The soon-to-be-40-year old also stopped rising prospect Alexandre Ferreira’s consecutive first-frame win streak at seven (with ten in his last eleven) after two minutes of action when they fought a few weeks ago at UFC 122, so clearly Matyushenko still has some gas left in his tank even after the loss he suffered to Jones last August.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Machida will have a chance to answer his critics in a little more than two weeks when he faces another former 205-pound champion, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, at UFC 123 just outside of Detroit, Michigan. “The Dragon” recently spoke to Tatame about his upcoming bout with Jackson, as well as his experience recently training at a well-known American gym and a number of other subjects relating to his future.

“I always think for a MMA fight, despite the specialties of each fighter, you have to be prepared for anything, because we can never know what the guy is up to,” Machida responded when asked about how he is approaching the headlining affair. “A guy who doesn’t know how to kick may be kicking on the following fight – you can’t tell for sure. The need leads the frog to a jump.”

“We have many examples of people who are good on areas that aren’t their specialties,” he continued. “Georges St. Pierre has improved his wrestling a lot – people that didn’t kick are now kicking and so it goes…I don’t underestimate any fighter. I think that, just as I’m prepared for anything during the fight, so are they: the stand-up game, the takedowns and the ground game. Of course we have our game plan set…our strong point is karate and the exchanges, but if we need to use the other skills, we will do the takedowns and the ground game…”

When questioned on whether or not he anticipates to stand more than defend Jackson’s takedowns, Machida stated, “I think that Jackson always comes for the striking, independently of his opponent…He always tries to impose his game, so it’ll be up to me because he’ll try to use his boxing and I have to try to block his game and impose mine.”

However, while Machida’s immediate attention is on Jackson, he acknowledged not only his interest in eventually breaking the 1-1 tie between himself and Rua but the possibility of eventually mixing it up with relative youngsters Jon Jones and/or Ryan Bader.

“Of course,” he replied on the subject of the twenty-somethings. “I believe that this new generation is a really conditioned generation, (and) has begun to build the pillars for being a great fighter…they’re great athletes that are popular and now me, Rashad Evans, Rampage and Shogun will have to face those guys.”

On the subject of a rubber-match between himself and Rua, the 32-year old made it clear his current focus is only on “Rampage”, saying, “I think one step at a time. People talk about Shogun and I don’t keep thinking about Shogun – he’s long gone now. Now I have to think about my next challenge because sometimes we keep thinking about the future, but we can’t even make the next step, so I think I have to be prepared and I can’t underestimate anyone. Now I’ll have to face Jackson and there are many factors to consider before I have a title shot. I think it’s best for me to focus on this fight and I’ll welcome whatever comes to me in the future.”

Machida also spoke about having recently spent some time at American Kickboxing Academy – home to a number of respected UFC competitors – and how it was to work alongside UFC heavyweight champ Cain Velasquez.

“It’s not the first time I’ve trained (at) AKA – it’s the second time I went to train there. I’ve spent three weeks training there and I think it’s really important that you train along with guys who are fighting on the same level as you…Velasquez was a nice guy to me from the start – he’s shown me his game and (when) I left there I knew he had a great chance of becoming the champion.”

Machida is 16-1 with victories in the first sixteen fights of his career including notable wins over Tito Ortiz, the afore-mentioned Evans, and Thiago Silva, as well as a somewhat controversial unanimous decision over “Shogun” at UFC 104 a little more than a year ago.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Also on this stacked UFC 123 card, former welterweight champions will settle their score as UFC Hall of Famer Matt Hughes and former two-division champion BJ Penn face off in the rubber match of one of the greatest trilogies in fight history.

“When you think of Detroit, the first names that come to mind are legends like Joe Louis and Tommy Hearns,” UFC President Dana White said. “This is a real fight town with diehard fight fans, so I’m happy to be the guy bringing big fights to the Motor City.”

“We’re bringing the best UFC fighters here on November 20th,” added White, who is heading to Detroit on Thursday, September 16th, to meet with the media and officially announce UFC 123. “Rampage Jackson and Lyoto Machida are two of the top light heavyweights in the world. I expect this fight to be a war, as both of these guys want to get back in the title run. The co-main event is Matt Hughes vs. BJ Penn, two of the best fighters in UFC history. They have both beat each other and jumped at the opportunity to fight a third time.”

“We’ve stayed in constant touch with the UFC for several years now in working together to develop an opportunity to place one of their electrifying events at The Palace of Auburn Hills,” said Stu Mayer, Senior Vice President, Sports & Events for Palace Sports & Entertainment. “We’re both extremely pleased that it’s finally become a reality. UFC 123 will no doubt be embraced by the greater Detroit area and throughout the state of Michigan.”

A ferocious competitor known for his aggressive slams and knockout power, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (fighting out of Memphis, Tenn. / professional record: 30-8) has been in there with the best and has beaten the best. A former PRIDE veteran and UFC light heavyweight champion, the Memphis native’s UFC stint has seen him score knockout victories over Chuck Liddell and Wanderlei Silva and decision wins over Dan Henderson and Keith Jardine, making it clear that the 32-year-old can stand in the Octagon with anyone.

“I started this camp very early,” Jackson said. “I stayed in shape from the last fight and the weight hasn’t been an issue this time. Every single minute of this camp will be focused on technique, not getting back in shape or shaking the ring rust after a long time off.

“If Machida decides to fight me, it will be an exciting fight for one round before he goes to sleep. I am expecting him to run from me, though. He’d wear sneakers into the Octagon if he could! But don’t worry, I will hunt him down and get him anyway.”

A black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and Machida Karate, Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida (fighting out of Belem, Brazil / 16-1) has proved he is dangerous anywhere the fight goes. The former UFC light heavyweight champion won his first 16 professional fights and is focused on getting back into the title picture. Winning five of his first six fights in the UFC, the 32-year-old has finished three bouts, including a submission win over Rameau Sokoudjou and knock out victories against Thiago Silva and Rashad Evans.

“I know what it’s like to be the champion and I want to be the champion again,” Machida said. “I respect Rampage and I think he is an incredible fighter, but I’m going to expose his weaknesses – I’m going to win this fight on November 20 and go after the light heavyweight title.”

A fighter that is seeing a renaissance during an already brilliant career, Matt Hughes (fighting out of Hillsboro, Ill. / 46-7) has won his last three fights, putting himself back in the title picture once again. After a unanimous decision win against Matt Serra, a KO victory over Renzo Gracie, and a submission victory over Brazilian jiu-jitsu blackbelt Ricardo Almeida, the 36-year-old has cemented his UFC Hall Of Fame status as he looks to get his welterweight title back.

In a move back to the 170-pound class after a very successful run as champion at 155 pounds, former UFC lightweight and welterweight champion BJ Penn (fighting out of Hilo, Hawaii / 15-7-1) will meet Hughes in a highly-anticipated rubber match. After Penn won their first fight via submission at UFC 46 and Hughes evened the score via TKO at UFC 63, both fighters are hungry to break the tie. Penn, a highly decorated Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, has always been known as a finisher, and with fighters such as Kenny Florian, Diego Sanchez, Sean Sherk, Joe Stevenson, Jens Pulver and even Hughes on that list, the 31-year-old Hawaiian is one of the sport’s most dangerous competitors.

Tickets for UFC 123 will go on sale Monday, September 20 at 10 a.m. ET and will be priced at $400, $300, $200, $150, $100 and $50. Tickets are available at Palacenet.com, Ticketmaster.com, charge-by-phone (800.745.3000) and all Ticketmaster retail locations.

UFC Fight Club members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets to this event Friday, September 17 starting at 10 a.m. ET via UFCFightClub.com. A special internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers on Saturday, September 18 starting at 10a.m. ET. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

UFC 123 will be available live on Pay-Per-View on iN DEMAND, DIRECTV, DISH Network, TVN, BellTV, Shaw Communications, Sasktel, and Viewer’s Choice Canada for a suggested retail price of $44.99 US/$49.99 CAN for standard definition or high-definition broadcasts (where available). UFC 123 will also be available on Pay-Per-View in Spanish in the United States.

News of the show’s location was recently confirmed to MMAFighting by UFC President Dana White.

UFC 123 will be headlined by a clash between former light heavyweight champions Lyoto Machida and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. Both top 205-pounders will be looking to get back on the winning track at the event, as Machida was victim of a first-round knockout to Mauricio “Shogun” Rua in his last bout while “Rampage” was out-pointed by Rashad Evans at UFC 114 after a yearlong hiatus from MMA. The loss was the first of Machida’s career. Comparably, Jackson had won eight of nine prior to losing the decision to Evans and hasn’t been finished in the ring since April 2005.

Mauricio “Shogun” Ru

UFC President Dana White has recently confirmed May 1 as the likely date for the anticipated showdown according to a recent report from Dave Metzel over at Yahoo Sports.

Apparently the two will face off in Montreal, Canada at an event yet to be announced.

The fellow Brazilian’s had been expected to rematch on January 2 during UFC 108 but a hand injury suffered in that bout by Machida forced the champion from the card.

There were many in attendance and watching at home that disagreed with the judges decision to award Machida with the victory in the pair’s first meeting during UFC 104 in October based on Shogun’s aggression combined with the fact that he landed more strikes during the bout, but the May date will hopefully give both men an opportunity to erase any doubt in what went down as one of the most controversial UFC title bouts in recent memory.

Many believed Rua won the fight, including UFC president Dana White, who immediately began lobbying for a rematch. Both fighters verbally agreed to the rematch, but recent reports indicated Machida had undergone surgery on one of his hands. MMAJunkie.com has since been able to confirm the reports through Machida’s manager, Ed Soares.

“He had surgery yesterday on his left hand,” Soares said. “The doctor said it was a complete success. “Lyoto’s hand has been actually injured for a while,” Soares said. “Before the fight with ‘Shogun,’ he went to the doctor, and he went to a special surgeon in Brazil. Basically, they say said that he was going to need surgery, but he didn’t want to cancel the fight. He just roughed it through this training camp. The hand has been bothering him for quite a while now. It was one of those situations. He just roughed through it.”

Soares was quick to point out the surgery was not being used as an excuse for the champions performance at UFC 104, “We’re not trying to make any excuses or anything. We didn’t come out and say anything. We said Lyoto was 100 percent, which he was. But his injury has been bothering him for a while, so we went in and had the surgery, and they found bone spurs. They found a bone fragment down there. There were about four things the doctor said were causing him pain. Thank God they cleared him all up yesterday.”

According to Soares, Machida will need at least six weeks recovery, with an additional two to four weeks before being able to train at 100 percent. With this timeline, it will push any immediate rematch closer to March or April, but Soares declared the fight will be against Rua, “We want that fight. We want to leave no doubt who the light heavyweight champion is.”

In a recent conversation with Sherdog.com the UFC light heavyweight title holder had this to say, “I had the opportunity to see the fight again and I thought I won four rounds and Shogun took the last one. Some people say he won the fourth and fifth round, but for sure I won at least the first three rounds.”

The reason for all of the controversy is simple according to “The Dragon”: Favoritism by Rogan and Goldie.

Never mind the fact that the bulk of the crowd in attendance was jeering the decision once it was rendered; They must have overheard the slanted commentary as well.

“The American commentators were pretty much biased,” explained away the fighter formerly known as the least hit fighter in the history of the UFC. “If you see the fight without audio, you will probably see a different fight.”

I guess us simple minded Americans can be easily swayed by what we hear during the broadcast of a fight. It’s almost as if Rogan and Goldberg must have been sending out subliminal signals to brainwash all of us sheep that have such a hard time thinking for ourselves.

Disregard the fact that Rua clearly landed more of the strikes during the bout by a wide margin, to be the champ you have to beat the champ, right?

“Shogun was a great opponent and had a nice strategy,” said Lyoto. “He deserves all my respect as a fighter, but I was superior.”

“I had three or four chances to finish the fight, and he never put me in danger. I didn’t get (dazed) at any moment of the fight, but I put him in danger three or four times. He kicked my legs a couple of times, but he wouldn’t knock me out with that. This fight was judged by professionals, so I’m pretty much comfortable with the result.”