Styles Make Fights: Notes on Machida vs. Rampage

Sorry, got sidelined with some deadlines, so the post on teens and Thai boxing will have to get pushed aside for tonight. In place of that though, check out this interesting stylistic breakdown by Brent Brookhouse of this weekend's UFC headliner, Lyoto Machida vs. Quinton "Rampage" Jackson. The fight game maxim "styles make fights" rings extra true for this match-up. One interesting part of the breakdown is this animated GIF of Machida trapping Shogun's lead arm as he's using it as a range-finder, before launching a cross: I've been asked before if I thought JKD or Filipino-style trapping could work in the octagon. Machida is the perfect type of fighter who could (and apparently does) pull it off: someone with an excellent sense of range, broken rhythm, and excellent composure. While we're at it, check this video of Machida training with Steven Segal. Hilarious and educational at the same time. Segal, unsurprisingly, is not a big fan of wrestling. I can't say all his tips are perfectly sound (or...legal), but he's right about angling off -- something fighters should be doing more of. (Profanity warning!) [youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NaDGBFB4ZOA&t=0m19s]