Few were surprised by the outcome of Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida. Although Machida going to sleep and thrown down like a rag doll was probably not a popular prediction I didn't see many predicting Machida to pull any sort of upset. The fight also proved more entertaining than most thought. Lyoto Machida came out disciplined with an exceptional game plan of constant movement and darting strikes which for the first round confused the young champ Jones. But Jones' skill and physical attributes are just too much for most light heavyweights. What we did see was Jones face some adversity and rise above. On my scorecard, Machida won the first round managing to actually land solid strikes on Jones. Between rounds, Jon Jones seemed confused and a bit worried but like any true competitor came out in round two and turned the tide. What future opponent's need to learn from this bout is that it is possible to win a distance fight against the long Jon Jones, but you better be ready for a clinch and takedown sometime during the fight. Machida was not. By no means is this the "blueprint" to defeat Jones but it is worth it to apply some of these tactics in future game planning. Who can repeat these tactics in the division? The only name that comes to mind is Shogun but we've all seen how that ended. Dan Henderson? He has the ability to rush Jones once, maybe twice but lacks the fluid movement Lyoto Machida displayed. Henderson would have to utilize a rush and clinch tactic and still seems a Jon Jones strong suit. Rashad Evans? Doubtful. He would definitely try to out-wrestle Jones and that would we be a mistake. Phil Davis? Way too inexperienced and one dimensional still. Lil' Nog? Same. Anderson Silva?
He certainly has the skill, movement and fluidity to attack in similar fashion but can he stop a Jon Jones take down? I'd love to see him try. As for Machida, he looked great for one round and showed he still belongs in the UFC but it will be a while before he receives another title shot. I'd like to see him in there against a rising Stephan Bonnar or Stanislav Nedkov so we can see what Nedkov is made of.
Much of the talk of UFC 140 is about the damage caused by Frank Mir on Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira's arm. Nogueira is and always be a legend in the sport of MMA. His accomplishments are on another level of his peers. With that said he faced a Frank Mir that to the surprise of everyone was one step ahead on the ground at UFC 140. The focus and seamless grappling displayed by Mir was a thing of beauty even if the outcome made some squirm. I'm not sure who, if anyone, expected Rodrigo Nogueira to tap. Frank Mir has been criticized for his perceived lack of remorse at Nogueira's injuries and I feel unjustly. He did his job and Nogueira did his and the result was maybe a career ending injury for Minotauro. Does this place as next in line for a title shot? Because of lack of talent pool, yes. In reality he still displayed some of his drawbacks. Willingness to stay on the feet against superior strikers and more importantly, getting stunned quickly. Can he withstand Junior Dos Santos' hands? No. Would another rematch with Brock Lesnar or Shane Carwin end differently if they caught him again. No. He still an extremely talented and marketable fighter who belongs at the very top of the UFC mountain, he just can't knock the guys at the top of that mountain off. To see if he's really changed and improved, I'd like to see him face Cain Velasquez relentless pace and quick hands. Frank Mir is certainly no gatekeeper but has had small success against the very top tier UFC heavyweights.
As for Nogueira, his future is unclear. He certainly faces a very long rehabilitation at minimum and retirement at worst. He has nothing to be ashamed of in this fight or his career if it ends. Everyone gets caught. If he returns I would like to see him face middle tier talent like Pat Barry or Mike Russow to see where he is at without risking much.
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