Well I know they're looking to make it a sport, but there's a reason it's popularity is soaring, because of exciting fights. When Machida fights it's usually a case of him jogging backwards
Machida doesn't jog away. If you actually think that, you clearly have no idea what is going on.
Machida is the consummate tactician in the ring. He uses distance to keep himself in HIS perfect range, or just outside yours. He makes you commit forward and then depending on his timing, he either puts you on your ass with a straight left, or he moves out of your attack and resets himself.
I suppose you prefer guys who block punches with their faces, 'just bleed' right?
As to Shogun/Machida. Shogun lost the first fight. He gave up the early rounds and didn't finish Machida. Both men will adapt, I think the biggest change will be in Shoguns game plan. He came out and caught Lyoto by surprise. Lyoto will be expecting Shogun to exchange body and leg kicks for shots to the head, which is what happened the first fight.
Lyoto will adapt to Shoguns kicks. What will Shogun have left? Whenever he was aggressive Lyoto punished him in the first fight.
I think this fight going to the ground very early is a likely possibility. The person who initiates this will tell us all we need to know about the intervening period. If Lyoto tries to take Shogun down, then Lyoto clearly is not comfortable in his adaptation to Shoguns first fight style. If Shogun takes Lyoto down, then Shogun isn't comfortable with his stand up and has no other tricks in the bag.
Lyoto however has proven to be incredibly difficult to take down thus far, for his distance management and his ability to scoot away from danger and his extremely underrated wrestling. He has throw men with impressive wrestling back grounds around. Shogun on the other hand has never really prove himself to be great at stuffing take downs.
My personal feeling on the rematch is Shogun shot his load in the first fight. He pulled out his counter and ultimately lost a very close decision. Machida has had, six or more months to break down what Shogun did and to devise a strategy against it.
Watching Machida fight in stand up, I think Shogun hit the nail exactly on the head. Be tentative and look to exchange leg and body work for Lyoto's straight left and a jab. The problem then for Shogun is that it is unlikely he has a stand up game plan that will be more successful, and it is unlikely he will be AS successful as he was last time.
If Shogun wins the next fight, I think it will be either one of two ways. He wins a predominately ground battle, or he simply catches Machida in an exchange. I don't see Shogun winning a decisive stand up battle in a comprehensive manner.
