A fight we first reported back in February could become a reality: Randy Couture is extremely interested in facing Lyoto Machida for the light heavyweight title.
Booking plans for the rest of the year would completely allow for Couture, if he’s able to beat Nogueira, to face Machida on the January 2nd show. If he runs through Nogueira and wins easily, I think they will match him up with Brock Lesnar for the traditional year-end show, because that’s a story that sells itself and it would be one of the biggest fights in UFC history.
If Couture ekes out a decision, however, it would make more sense to have the aging Hall of Famer face Machida on the card. Assuming that Machida will defeat Shogun, of course, it becomes obvious that there are no real challengers for his belt until April of 2009 at the earliest. Rampage Jackson and Rashad Evans are fighting in December and it’s widely assumed that the winner of that fight will get a title shot, which means that the title shot wouldn’t happen until mid-2009.
You could easily make a case for a Forrest Griffin title shot if he beats Anderson Silva next month, but I’m assuming that will not happen. I think the best case scenario for Zuffa is a Lesnar/Couture rematch, but the secondary possibility of having Couture face the unsolvable Machida for the light heavyweight title would likely be a very big fight as well.
And anything is better than Georges St. Pierre vs. Mike Swick or Martin Kampmann.
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“And anything is better than Georges St. Pierre vs. Mike Swick or Martin Kampmann.”
Amen! but here in Montreal, the local hero attracts fans no matter who the opponent. It may not be the best for UFC, but it’s always perfect for Mtl GSP fans.
While Couture vs Machida would sell tickets and PPV’s, I’m not sure Couture has the skill-set that would match up with Machida very well.
If you look at Coutures fighting history, he has been very vulnerable to fast, precise strikers.
Chuck Liddell (KO x 2)
Vitor Belfort (TKO)
Brock Lesnar (TKO)
Machida won’t play the clinch game with Couture, and Coutures striking skills are certainly not on par with Rashad Evans — I just don’t see this potential matchup ending favorably for ‘The Natural.’
Antecanis, Vitor only beat couture by cutting his eye less than a minute in, Couture demolished him the first time they fought. Liddell won beacuese of his knockout power, Couture did his usual clinching onto Liddell trying to grapple and dirty box while Liddell backed up catching couture with counters. Brock won because his size, power and neutrilizing Coutures streangths with his own. So really, Vitor never realy beat him while Brock and Chuck won with their knockout power. Given that, I doubt he will beat Machida. Still would be interesting to see Machida deal with couture’s smothering grappling though.
Exactly Belfort beat Coture by luck his glove sliced his eye lid and the fight was stopped i was not even a clean punch.Brock lesnar a precise stand up fighter ???? Brock has no stand up hence why he goes to take everyone down.I think Randy would have a great chance of beating Machida with his cage control and ground and pound,have we seen machida fight of his back much no and randy is one of the greatest ever ground control fighters not forgetting he is a better light heavy fighter than a heavy.Brock had Randy down 2 times and Randy got up 2 times and he was very close to putting him on his ass.Its only a matter of time Brock will get knocked out for being such an ass,hopefully a cro cop kick to that thick skull of his with Sable crying picking up the pieces