Photos Josh Hedges
UFC 104 promises to be on fire when the Brazilians LyotoMachida and Maurício Shogun get in the octagon to define who’ll leave Los Angeles
Thiago Silva:
“It’s gonna be a tough fight, both athletes are good, well prepared, good techniques... It’s gonna be a good fight, and the best will win. I think there are two very good athletes, Shogun is very well, physical and technically, but I’ve fought with Lyoto and I know how is it. His (Lyoto) difference is the psychological, the patience... He knows when to come in. The secret is there. If Shogun knows how to handle the patience, he can even take it, because Lyoto is in a great phase. He can’t lose the calm, because Lyoto doesn’t change the tactics, it’s always the same, play in opponent’s mistake, so patience is the key, he can surprise. I put (my money) on Shogun, dude. He’s my friend and I support him a lot“.
Paulo Filho:
“It’s a tough fight... Lyoto is very strategic, Shogun is open-hearted, very brave. Both have stars, but I’d risk Lyoto because of the strategy. Fight is fight and we’ll only know when it’s over. It will be a forward fight. This fight is a little worse to Shogun, because he’ll needs have someone to work his head, he can’t be that impetuous, because any advance, any mistake, any blink, he can be knocked out and wake up only on the locker room. Lyoto is a counted attacker. The way Shogun fight is good to Lyoto. He opens, put his face, let the blows go, he has no fear. He’s brave, but that’s gonna be negative point for him on this fight against Lyoto. So, to me, Lyoto with knock out“.
Vitor Belfort:
“Lyoto is a phenomenal fighter, that can mix all the arts together, and Karate is his main art. He is a very good fighter, it’s beautiful to see him fight, I like Lyoto. I think that the fight against Shogun will be tough, but, to me, Lyoto will win. Shogun is a very tough fighter, but on my view Lyoto has better conditions“.
Francisco Filho:
“Very tough fight, it’s hard to say. Shogun has ups and downs, but we’ll only know it in the night of the fight... I believe more in Lyoto, but let’s see the final result, we can’t keep trying to preview because fight is surprise. Sometimes we think one thing and in the end other thing happens“.
“I’ll be there supporting Lyoto, as always. It’s a tough fight, Shogun is a tough guy too, and will also come well trained and that’s a great opportunity to him. Let’s see, this fight will be historical. It’s hard to talk about this fight, but I had the chance to train with both... Shogun got much more mature since the time we use to train together, he has a very good Jiu-Jitsu, just like Lyoto. It’s hard. Standing up, Shogun is a good athlete, but near Lyoto... Lyoto is much better with movements, he has refined reflexes standing up. I believe that there’s a big chance to Shogun win, but the chances of making mistakes is much bigger to Shogun, but there’s a chance to he wins, always exist, but I think that he’ll make much more mistakes than Lyoto. Shogun is a great fighter, he defeated tough guys on Pride, but Lyoto, on each fight, put his rhythm in a way that he doesn’t expose himself, and Shogun will put himself in risk much more. On the light heavyweight category, I don’t see anyone who can beat Lyoto“.
Sérgio Cunha, trained Shogun to fight Chuck Liddell:
“It has everything to be an epic fight, between two new athletes, complete and updated. It’ll be a fight full of strategy and intelligence. MMA fans definitely will have the chance to watch a high technical level fight, where who can explore the opponent’s weak spot will win. I believe in his (Shogun) victory, and I support him a lot. When we worked together I got really attached to him, he’s a very good boy, easy to work with, talented and kind. We also had a powerful chemistry as master and student, he educated himself in other points, as food, recovering and strategy. To win, he has to make a plan to annul Lyoto’s game. Maurício grew a lot as an athlete and absorbed a lot of my training on this last preparation to Chuck, he got a lot from my game and he’s moving better, attacking and defending well, things that you don’t forget and he will use always. Adding a lot of training, strategy and calm, he may get the victory, but he has to be aggressive and careful“.
Nilson de Castro, Chute Boxe's coach:
“Lyoto is fighting better, has a very good game, different. I think that Shogun must to go there with his best, it’s gonna be a big fight. It’s impossible for me to bet, for everything that Shogun did and for Lyoto, who’s now the champion, has being doing“.
Josuel Distak, Anderson Silva and Paulo Filho’s boxing coach:
“I think that he (Lyoto) will stay as the UFC champion for a long time. His game doesn’t match with any fighter’s, and I don’t see any of the UFC fighters annulling his game. Shogun is tough, but Lyoto is tough to any fighter. My bet is that Lyoto will stay as UFC champion for a long time, because he’s Brazilian and he’s from Pará“.
Rudimar Fedrigo, Chute Boxe leader:
“Something tells me that Shogun will win the fight. I don’t know how, in each way, but I feel that he may win the fight, it’s a feeling. He’s a fighter that goes for it, fight forward, and I think that will make the difference“.
Paulo Borracha, MMA commentator:
“Analyzing by the techniques, Lyoto is the favorite. Shogun comes from an expressive victory, against (Chuck) Liddell, but wasn’t as Machida
Paulo Nikolai, Muay Thai coach:
“Shogun is more technical, above the average, and proved it on Pride, he’s not an ordinary fighter, he’s different, as Lyoto. I support the best. I support both because I’m friend of both and I believe that it will only makeBrazil
Zé Mário Sperry, former Brazilian Top Team coach:
“I always liked to work to probability and statistics. They’re both great fighters, but I think that Lyoto, for his historical, the fights he’s been doing and even for his game, it’s hard to be taken down, he has more chances to win. Obviously, fight is a fight, Shogun is a great athlete. It’s very hard to preview, both will come prepared. It has everything to be a big fight and they will give their most. The difference will be who press his rhythm. If I have to bet in someone, I’d bet no Lyoto“.
Luis Dórea, Nogueira brother’s boxing coach:
“It’s gonna be a big fight, Shogun with his will and determination, and Lyoto with his ability, two great athletes. Shogun made that historical fight against Rogério, he’s a warrior, he searches for the fight, he’s very strong, he has a heavy hand, he supports, he has a lot of heart and wants to give a show. Shogun were the best of the category and now he’s fighting for the title, he showed the truly Shogun now, definitely it’s gonna be a beautiful fight. Lyoto is a category’s talent, out of normal, he’s a heavyweight that naturally has 220 pounds and can move the legs that way, he’s awesome. Who moves that way, on boxing’s time, was Cassius Clay. The speed that he has to move in and out of his opponents is incredible to the category. It’s gonna be a good fight between different styles. I think Lyoto has the advantage because he’s fast. It’s gonna be the power of one against ability and technique of the other“.
André Dida, Shogun’s coach:
“Shogun has the speed of an 177 pounds athlete and Lyoto too, that’s why it’s gonna be a great fight... Shogun will make what he always done, both move a lot, and I think this fight won’t pass the third round“.
Alexandre Baixinho, former UFC fighter:
“It’s hard, man... If you analyze, we have to give all the credits to Lyoto, because he never lost and he owns the belt, but I think that in MMA mix, Lyoto be the champion... I can be wrong, but I’d bet 55% on Shogun“.
Luiz Alves, Nogueira brother’s Muay Thai coach:
“It’s a really tough fight, Shogun has a big potential and, trained, it’s hard to beat him, he’s one of the category’s tops, but Lyoto is coming on the rhythm and Shogun didn’t make big fights on Ultimate. To me the favorite is Lyoto, besides I love Shogun’s style, who’s a warrior“.
Murilo "Ninja" Rua, Shogun’s brother:
“I’m sure that he (Shogun) will win the belt, and I don’t say it because he’s my brother... I’m confident. The expectations are the best as possible. Lyoto is considered the best of the world, but I believe a lot in my brother and I’m sure that he’ll win. Shogun will go prepared to fight standing up or on the ground, but he’s better standing up“.
Ricardo Arona:
“It’s gonna be a balance fight, I think it’s hard to say which way it’s gonna take, because both know the ground and standing up. I think it’s gonna be a technical and studied fight. I won’t say who will win, because both have potential, but it’s gonna be a big fight“.
Amaury Bitetti:*
“I’ll tell you that risk a guess, considering what both did on MMA, is an unpleasant work. I know their both potential and I imagine that inside all that we’ve saw from them it’s gonna be a very good fight. Lyoto has that style to fight blowing back and knows how to drop well with his Judo and Sumo’s notions, but Shogun is an aggressive guy standing up and has in his historical the fact that he go for it to decide, and his ground is very good. I don’t believe in unanimous decision. I think who hit first will bet he winner”.
André Pederneiras:*
“As they are two exchangers and we know how striking is, I think that a well fitted blow can decide the fight to any side. But Lyoto’s experience on his seven fights on UFC will make the difference against Shogun. I don’t know Shogun’s ground, but if he tries to take the fight to the ground he may be annulled by Lyoto’s ground, that must be better”.
Carlos Barreto:*
Lyoto is a well prepared athlete, with a different style, he mix all his past experiences in martial arts. Without losing, he overcame big names on his career, as Tito Ortiz and Rashad Evans. Fighting against an aggressive fighter as Shogun he may have advantage because the style’s match. Shogun, phenomenal, is one of them that everyone who doesn’t know fights likes to watch, aggressive. He ran over named fighters as Quinton Jackson and Ricardo Arona on Pride. Shogun looks more mature, more focused and ready to give a show. Losing or winning, Shogun is always an attraction, I hope he gets back to the good times. Really hard combat, both are great athletes, talented. But as I said, I think that Lyoto is a complete champion, a guy that serves as an example to the new fighters, of how you make a champion, the belt fits him very well.
Eugenio Tadeu:*
“One is defensive, the other is offensive. Lyoto won’t go to exchanging, he takes opportunities and Shogun is an open-hearted exchanger. Shogun will hunt and Lyoto will wait to knock out. If Shogun will be smart he will try to take the fight to the ground, because there is where I believe that he’s superior”.
Fábio Gurgel:*
“I think it’s gonna be a big fight! Lyoto is more stable on his fights, while Shogun had some ups and downs, but if he’s on “ups“ will be a big fight”.
Hugo Duarte
“Lyoto is more dangerous and is in an excellent moment. I don’t forget about Shogun’s value, I just think that Lyoto is in an extraordinary phase and what can make the difference to Shogun is his talent, but I think that the champion will keep his title”.
Marcelo Aguiar:*
“If you’d ask me which fight is more efficient to MMA, I’d say that’s when Shogun represents Muay Thai.
Murilo Bustamante:*
“I won’t point a favorite because both are great fighters. I think Lyoto is technical, but Maurício is a great fighter, open-hearted. I think it’s gonna be a fight with no favorite”.
Roberto Traven:*
“I think it’s gonna be a very tough fight and definitely won’t last five rounds. Everything can happen on this fight, because both are great fighters. The same way that Shogun may surprise, Lyoto is the guy of the category”.
Wallid Ismail:*
“It will have exchanging, for sure. And the most interesting is that they have completely different styles looking for the same goal, the knock out. We’re not talking about a puncher against a ground fighter, the thing is the way that each one will try to knock the other out. Aggressive against caution”.
* former UFC fighters, guesses from UFC-BR’s official website
.JPG)
.JPG)
No comments:
Post a Comment
COMMENT ON THIS AND OTHER NEWS HERE AND IN TATAME FORUMS