UFC 123 Rampage v. Machida

Rampage Jackson has all the right factors in his favor to beat Machida. The so-called Machida era was nothing more than a marketing ploy. Machida was a man who used a novel technique to be unpredictable and uncommon so that he was able to overmatch unprepared opponents.

But here's the reality Joe Rogan, the evolution of fighting in the UFC has transpired because novel tactics were introduced and had a limited advantage. Of course, the rest learn from the new techniques and adapt. Shogun demonstrated that just bowling into Machida was enough to neutralize that advantage. And so the evolution moves on.

And Rampage is the master of bowling through opponents. If Rampage learned his lesson from his last fight against Rashad Evans, he will not respect the skills of Machida and move in for the inglorious kill from the start. His tactics will be to close on and destroy Machida. As Machida backs up to regain long range he backs straight up. This will be a hard habit to break. Rampage has watched the video. He knows Machida can be knocked out and so he will be able to defeat him just by closing that distance and weather the oncoming shots. Shogun weathered the storm, and so can Rampage.

Rampage was sufficiently unhappy with his performance in the last fight to motivate him to train. Machida left his last fight believing it was not a bad defeat.

If Machida has not learned his lesson, then expect a first round KO / TKO by Rampage. I predict a Rampage victory, by KO, in any round.