Elusive Machida keeps winning

Lyoto Machida continued his undefeated record by defeating Tito Ortiz via decision on Saturday night. Machida's elusive style of striking has allowed him to avoid getting hit and attack with his own brand of selective aggression when it comes to the stand up game. It will appear as though he will just be defensive and retreat and then the next thing you know he's attacking when his opponent least expects it. Just like the end of the first round--the last thing Ortiz would have been expecting was a takedown attempt from Machida, and that's exactly what Machida ended up doing. He got underhooks and took Ortiz down. He picks his spots really well. Like in round 3, Machida was backing up and it appeared as though he may let Ortiz dictate the pace of the rest of the round, but right then Machida lept in the air for a flying knee to Ortiz's body which dropped the former 205 pound champ.
Machida's style is very frustrating to opponents such as Ortiz. When you're coming at Machida, he's getting out of the way, when you let down your guard for a second he's there attacking you. At the end of the second round there was a good example--Ortiz let his hands down in frustration to get Machida to engage with him, so Machida attacked Ortiz quickly and then ran backwards and circled out of Ortiz's furied attack, further frustrating the "Huntington Beach Bad Boy."
Machida certainly knows what he's doing and his record of 13-0 speaks for itself. It'll be interesting to see which 205 fighter is able to handle the crafty and elusive light heavyweight juggernaut that is Lyoto Machida.

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