Quinton Jackson defeats Lyoto Machida in the main event at UFC 123
The main event at Ultimate Fighting Championship 123 held on Saturday 20 November at the Palace in Auburn Hills, Michigan was Quinton “Rampage” Jackson vs. Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida.
The two former UFC light heavyweight champions battled for three rounds before Bruce Buffer entered the Octagon and declared Jackson the winner by split decision.
Both Jackson and Machida came into this bout with losses in their previous fights. Jackson fell to Rashad Evans via unanimous decision, while Mauricio Rua knocked out Machida, claiming
the UFC light heavyweight title with the knockout. Both losses came in May of this year.
As the fight began, Jackson came pressing Machida and forcing him to fight from a defensive position. Machida delivered the first strikes of the fight, three kicks to the legs of Jackson
early in the round. Jackson has been susceptible to leg kicks in the past as they were one of the main weapons that Forrest Griffin used when he defeated Jackson for the light heavyweight title in 2008. After taking the kicks, Jackson forced Machida to the
cage with a quick flurry of punches and the fighters worked from the clinch. Machida escaped from against the cage, but he did not get away unscathed as Jackson delivered an uppercut to Machida for his troubles. Jackson spent the rest of the round stalking
Machida and cutting off the Octagon.
Before the fight Jackson said he was going to knock Machida out in the second round and his trainer reminded him of that statement before the round began. Machida delivered the first blow
of the round, a knee to the body. Jackson was able to force Machida to the cage after absorbing the knee and then worked from the clinch, delivering knees, foot stomps and body shots to Machida. Working from against the cage, Jackson was able to take Machida
to the ground, but Machida was able to gain his feet and cleanly break from Jackson. Jackson blocked a head kick, but ate a knee to the body before he delivered an uppercut to Machida during a short flurry of action in the centre of the Octagon. The remainder
of the round was spent against the cage as the fighters battled for position.
The final round started slowly, but 1:30 in Machida caught Jackson with a burst of punches and hurt him. Jackson quickly regained his composure and answered with some strikes of his own,
but he was taken down. Machida went to work on the ground, eventually securing full mount on Jackson. Machida then went for an armbar and Jackson looked like he was going to line up one of his patented slams as he lifted Machida in the air. Machida sensing
what was coming, released Jackson’s arm and the fighters were back on their feet. With 30 seconds remaining in the round, Machida took Jackson down and looked to work a leg lock, but time expired before he could secure the hold.
After the bell, the two fighters embraced and Jackson raised Machida’s hand before slumping to the ground with his back against the cage.
When the judges’ scores were announced and Jackson was declared the winner he looked genuinely surprised. Most commentators had scored the bout 29-28 for Machida.
In his post fight interview Jackson stood in the centre of the Octagon and told Joe Rogan that Machida “whooped my a*s.”
Later, after having some time to think things over, a more reserved Jackson said, “I had just got done getting punched in the face. My trainers and everybody told me I won the fight. It
was one of those things where I thought I had got my a*s whooped because I was just on the ground taking a flurry in the face.”
The win puts Jackson’s record at 31-8 while Machida falls to 16-2.
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