Saturday May 23 the UFC features another round of combats. This time is UFC 98, Evans vs Machida. This is going to be a great match, the quickness and power of Rashad versus the patience, aggressiveness and calculation of Machida. Additionally Matt Hughes faces Matt Serra in a very hard to pick fight as both fighters, past their prime, have a lot to prove. Here is the Card and my picks. Watch and enjoy:


Main Card:
Light Heavyweight Championship Rashad Evans vs Lyoto Machida - Machida by Dec
Welterweight Matt Hughes vs Matt Serra - Serra by Sub (round 3)
Middleweight Drew McFedries vs Xavier Foupa-Pokam - Foupa-Pokam by KO (round 1)
Middleweight Dan Miller vs Chael Sonnen - Miller by Sub (round 1)
Lightweight Sean Sherk vs Frank Edgar - Sherk by Sub (round 3)

Preliminary Card
Welterweight Brock Larson vs Chris Wilson - Larson by Sub (round 1)
Heavyweight Patrick Barry vs Tim Hague - Barry by KO (round 1)
Lightweight Phillipe Nover vs Kyle Bradley - Nover by Sub (round 2)
Light Heavyweight Krzysztof Soszynski vs Andre Gusmao - Soszynski by Sub (round 2)
Welterweight Yoshiyuki Yoshida vs Brandon Wolff - Yoshida by KO (round 1)
Lightweight Dave Kaplan vs George Roop - Roop by Sub (round 1)

I'm pulling for Lyoto over Evans. I have never seen that guy struggle.

Rumor has it Hughes is going to retire after tonight.

UFC 98 took place this last Saturday May 23. For the most part very even and exciting fights, some relevant, some not so much. The big news to come out of this event is the absolute superiority of Lioto Machida over Rashad "Sugar" Evans. Without exaggeration Machida looked superb; as calculating and evasive as usual but displaying brusts of aggressiveness and power that overwhelmed Evans. The first round a little slow as both fighters tested each other. Machida did score points as he landed several body kicks one dropping Evans and followed by a battery of punches. During the second round Machida starts the action with a body kick and clinch. This is followed by both fighters landing a couple of punches. Machida attacks with a combination connecting several and eventually dropping Evans. Although Rashad fights back Machida continues the relentless attack until a nasty left connect with Rashad's chin and knocks him out cold forcing a TKO stoppage.

Even though Machida becomes the Light-heavyweight Champion and he is another one in a chain of fighters to hold this belt there is this sense that he may hold it for a long time. Machida displays talent not comparable to any other fighters in this class. He probably will even become the best pound-for-pound fighter in MMA in the very near future.

The other notable fight was the Serra-Hughes bout. Matt Hughes came more prepared than I expected, both physically and mentally defeating Serra by unanimous decision.

Here are the complete results:

Main Card:
Light Heavyweight Championship Rashad Evans vs Lyoto Machida - Machida by TKO (round 2)
Welterweight Matt Hughes vs Matt Serra - Hughes by Dec
Middleweight Drew McFedries vs Xavier Foupa-Pokam - McFedries by TKO (round 1)
Middleweight Dan Miller vs Chael Sonnen - Sonnen by Dec
Lightweight Sean Sherk vs Frank Edgar - Edgar by Dec

Preliminary Card:
Welterweight Brock Larson vs Mike Pyle - Larson by Sub (round 1)
Heavyweight Patrick Barry vs Tim Hague - Hague by Sub (round 1)
Lightweight Phillipe Nover vs Kyle Bradley - Bradley by TKO (round 1)
Light Heavyweight Krzysztof Soszynski vs Andre Gusmao - Soszynski by TKO (round 1)
Welterweight Yoshiyuki Yoshida vs Brandon Wolff - Yoshida by Sub (round 1)
Lightweight Dave Kaplan vs George Roop - Roop by Dec

Didn't see it but I hear Machida was near flawless. Glad for that.

Hughes/Serra - hate them both. Not surprised by the result.