UFC 104: Immediate Rematch For Shogun Rua After Controversial Decision Awarded to Lyoto Machida
By: Chad Edward Posted On: October 25, 2009 at 12:56pm
Fighters.com and UFC Light Heavyweight Champion “Dragon” Lyoto Machida (16-0) remained undefeated and atop the 205-pound division with controversial five-round unanimous decision over sixth-ranked “Shogun” Mauricio Rua (18-4) by judges’ scores of 48-47 three times at UFC 104 in Los Angeles Saturday.
“It was my most difficult fight I’ve had in the UFC,” said Machida after defeating his fellow Brazilian contryman. “All three basically gave me a unanimous decision, so that’s how the judges saw it.”
But the fans in the STAPLES Center saw it differently, vigorously booing the judges’ decision, and so did UFC President Dana White.
“I thought ‘Shogun’ won the fight,” White admitted at the post-fight press conference and promised there would be an immediate rematch.
Both competitors had the same response to White’s promise of a rematch: Any time, anywhere.
Rua had studied his elusive opponent and used a combination of leg kicks and body kicks throughout the fight to slow Machida down and leave a pink welt on the left side of Machida’s body.
“I feel like I won this fight, but a fight is a fight, what can I do,” said “Shogun” after the loss.
Machida was most effective when he countered Rua’s aggressive attack with his own onslaught. Near the end of round three, Machida marched forward in a flurry of punches that tagged Rua.
The final round continued the fight’s trend of Machida struggling to find his range and timing while Rua tagged him with leg and body kicks.
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Comments
Watching live I scored the fight 50-45 for Shogun but while watching it again minus the sound and focused on trying to find a way to give the fight to Machida I changed my score, but only to 49-46 for Shogun. I had Machida winning the second round.
As far as the rematch is considered, I worry that Shogun will become overly aggressive instead of not allowing Machida to suck him into pushing the fight where he can counter strike.
That fight was the best chess match I have seen inside the Octagon in a long time.
This type of judging has happened throughout the history of theses type of sports (boxing ), cage fighting fans might as well get used to it. The only people that can stop this are the promoters by not using judges that they know are incapable of judging fairly, in essence hit them in the pocket book and let them know “you judge fairly or you don’t get picked to judge” period, cause they don’t do it for free. In the long run this hurts the sport and I am sure that promoters don”t see this as they count their money, but it does, why do you think boxing is fighting for a portion of the audience after so many years of pulling this on thier FANs. Fans get chearted and I know because I am one of them. There was a time when I could have read off to you, from memory, the names of top contenders and thier records, now I could care less. I do enjoy cage fighting I have been enjoying it from the very begining but this type of thing really turns me off and I find that I do not order the Pay Per View as often, I didn’t order this one. So Dana, have a meeting with all the judges and put them on notice. Let them know that when they play games with the future and lives of the fighters what they are really doing, is they are also playing with their paychecks. Thanks Dana and I really enjoy your weekly series.
machida es campeon ahora y por largo tiempo , me gustaria ver una pelea de el con anderson silva para que le quite tambien el cinturon
Promoters do not pick judges. That is the job of the athletic commissions. I think judges need to take a class 3 times a year where they look at a fight on tape, judge it and then discuss openly why they scored it they way they did. This class would be mandatory and would allow the judges to work together to achieve better and more accurate scoring
In no way is this scientific. Fortunately the fight was all on the feet.
This is my event counter. Every time I saw an event that was landed or used with effect,
I pushed the coresponding button. Missed strikes, in my view were not counted. Take
downs attempts without a finish, nothing.
Rnd. 1. Machida mmmmmmssmsssmsmsmssmsmmss
Rnd. 2. Shogun msssmmmmssmmmmssmsssmsm(run of knees to legs)ssssssmssss
Rnd. 3. Shogun msmmmssssmmsssmsmssmssmssmmsmmmmmsmss By 1
Rnd. 4. Shogun msmsssmmsmsmmsmssmssss
Rnd. 5. Shogun ssmmsssmssmmmsssmsssssms
I did count the 2nd rnd run of knees to the legs on the fence toward the actual numbers.
They do give shogun the round at the end. They did have an effect and were landed.
Both great fighters. Would not have wanted to be a judge here, or the rematch.
I agree fully with this. While there will always be opinion involved. Doing this would calibrate judges on what they are looking for and would just make a more educated panel of judsges.
Amen to the Revrend
If you pay attention closely, even Machida is surprised that he won the fight. I’m not a fan of either Machida nor Shogun; to be honest, I haven’t seen much of their fights.
But in all honesty, Machida did not display any “champion” heart. He looked like a swift wind was about to blow him over. Shogun, you were robbed, and if no one wants to believe it, check the tapes and do your own scoring, then double check it if you still dont believe it. Shogun easily took 3 rounds in this fight…