| UFC 104: Machida vs. Rua announced
Posted: 8/24/2009 6:40:39 PM | Las Vegas, NV (USA) – It’s been more than two years, but the Ultimate Fighting Championship® (UFC®) is finally bringing world-class mixed martial arts back to California, and when the lights go down for the main event of UFC 104 on Saturday, October 24th, fans will witness a battle between two of the most dynamic fighters ever to set foot in the world-famous Octagon™, as Brazil’s Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida defends his UFC light heavyweight title for the first time against his countryman and fellow superstar Mauricio “Shogun” Rua. Also waging war at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles on the UFC 104: Machida vs Shogun card, which is presented by TapouT, will be a clash between two of the heavyweight division’s top rising stars, unbeaten Cain Velasquez and UFC newcomer “Big” Ben Rothwell.
“It’s been two years since the UFC was in Southern California and we knew we had to bring something special for our return to the capital of mixed martial arts,” said UFC President Dana White. “Lyoto Machida captured the imagination of fight fans with his knockout of Rashad Evans, and while he seems unbeatable right now, Mauricio “Shogun” Rua not only has the tools to beat any 205-pounder in the world, but he’s coming off a knockout of Chuck Liddell in his last fight, so his confidence is sky-high. This has the potential to be one of the greatest light heavyweight title fights ever.”
Tickets for UFC 104 will go on sale Saturday, August 29 at 10 a.m. PT and will be priced at $600, $400, $300, $200, $100, $75 and $50. Tickets are available online at ticketmaster.com, via Ticketmaster charge-by-phone lines at (800) 745-3000 and are also available at the STAPLES Center box office. Prices do not include service charges.
UFC® Fight Club™ members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets to this event Thursday, August 27 starting at 10 a.m. PT via UFC.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers on Friday, August 28 starting at 10 a.m. PT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.
A man that remains a mystery to every opponent he’s faced in his mixed martial arts career is Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida (fighting out of Belem, Brazil). With a perfect 15-0 record and three finishes in his last three fights, the 31-year-old Brazilian has dominated the UFC light heavyweight division. His highlight-reel second-round knockout of undefeated Rashad Evans not only captured the UFC light heavyweight belt, but established Machida as an international superstar. With an unorthodox style and a Machida Karate black belt, Machida remains one of the hardest targets to hit in the Octagon™. The lifelong martial artist also holds a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and is dangerous anywhere the fight goes.
“I’m honored to be making my first title defense in Los Angeles,” Machida said. “The fact that I get to fight someone as respected as Shogun is an honor as well. My last fight before I won the title was against Thiago Silva, so I know how tough my fellow Brazilians are. I’m training extremely hard for this matchup and I’m looking forward to a great fight.”
A fighter that has faced the best in the world throughout his career, Mauricio “Shogun” Rua (fighting out of Curitiba, Brazil) has now made a name for himself in the UFC. With a “Fight of the Night” TKO victory over UFC Hall of Famer Mark Coleman at UFC 93 and a devastating first-round TKO over another Hall of Famer, Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell, Rua has positioned himself as the No. 1 contender for the UFC light heavyweight title. At only 27 years old, “Shogun” has already compiled an 18-3 professional record, including wins over former UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Kevin Randleman and Ricardo Arona.
“I feel very happy about fighting for the UFC belt,” Rua said. “It’s a huge opportunity in my career and in my life, and having this chance gets me closer to reaching my career’s ultimate goal and my life’s biggest dream. I think fighting Lyoto is a great thing because he is the man to beat right now. He’s wearing the belt and he has a very well-rounded game.”
A former two-time NCAA Division I All-American wrestler at Arizona State, Cain Velasquez (fighting out of San Jose, California) has parlayed his successful wrestling career into a stellar mixed martial arts campaign. The 27-year-old heavyweight contender is a perfect 6-0 with four UFC wins, three coming via TKO. At UFC 99, Velasquez faced his toughest test yet in proven striker Cheick Kongo and earned a hard-fought unanimous decision victory. Now the Salinas, California native faces his most experienced opponent yet in Ben Rothwell.
“Ben is a great opponent with heavy hands,” Velasquez said. “He is an all-around big fighter that comes out of a great camp. I look forward to putting on an exciting fight for the fans at UFC 104.”
Winner of 14 of his last 15 professional fights, Ben Rothwell (fighting out of Davenport, Iowa) has the credentials to touch gloves with anyone in the heavyweight division. Despite fighting all around the world, this seasoned heavyweight – who owns wins over Krzysztof Soszynski and Roy Nelson - will make his Octagon debut when he faces the decorated former college wrestler. At 6-foot-5, 265 lbs., Rothwell can definitely create a stir in the UFC’s ultra-stacked heavyweight division.
“I’ve been in this fight game for 10 years and I can’t tell you how excited I am to finally be competing in the UFC,” Rothwell said. “It’s the reason I started fighting in the first place. I’m very grateful that they would give me such an established opponent in my first match. Cain’s a tough guy and I’m looking forward to putting on a great show.” | |
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| UFC 104: Machida vs. Rua announced
Posted: 8/24/2009 9:02:47 PM | "Mamma says to knock you out!"
Machida in the second round! Rua is going to get schooled big time. He is too aggressive, just comes right at you. Machida has too much patience and is an amzing counter striker. Rua is in for a rude awakening. | |
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| UFC 104: Machida vs. Rua announced
Posted: 8/24/2009 9:08:22 PM | | so a win for machida. i really do not know who could beat machida right now, his style is so unique and hard to figure out. whoever it is would certainly deserve the belt. | |
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| UFC 104: Machida vs. Rua announced
Posted: 8/24/2009 9:25:50 PM | I have a hard time counting Rua out, but I think Machida will win this one. He hasn't shown any weakness yet, so it's hard to set up a game plan against him. But Rua is one of those fighters that could surprise you at any time...
I wouldn't put any money on this one. I'll just sit back and enjoy the fight, which is guaranteed to be exciting. | |
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| UFC 104: Machida vs. Rua announced
Posted: 8/24/2009 9:50:01 PM | I wrote somewhere on here that this fight was announced like over 2 months ago... Jee I didnt know this was new news... | |
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| UFC 104: Machida vs. Rua announced
Posted: 8/25/2009 12:20:00 PM | It was made official on mmanews a while ago.. Just like Brock Lesnar vs Shane Carwin at ufc 106 nov 21st in Vegas.. With a co-main event of Ortiz/Coleman | |
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| UFC 104: Machida vs. Rua announced
Posted: 8/26/2009 7:01:40 PM | | In all of Carwins 11 fights he has stopped everyone and all in the first round. 5 of which were KO's I believe.. I sure hope so too... WAR CARWIN!! | |
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| UFC 104: Machida vs. Rua announced
Posted: 8/26/2009 9:00:01 PM | As long as he can counter wrestle and keep this thing standing up, I think Carwin has way heavier hands (maybe Heath Herring wouldn't agree, but he survived a 3 round beating whereas Gonzaga went to sleep with one big shot) and a great chance to win this.
..Please Jeebus let Carwin win..
And as much as I love Rua, I think Machida's style is just too elusive for him, or anyone in the division for that matter. It's going to take an elite wrestler who can grab and control him, take him down and GnP him out for 5 rounds or a lucky shot from someone with some insane KO power to stop Machida.
I guess by my logic Dan Handerson has the best chance haha, but.. supposedly Anderson Silva had the same "weakness" and sadly Dan didn't make it out of the 2nd against him. | |
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| UFC 104: Machida vs. Rua announced
Posted: 8/27/2009 6:57:02 AM | This has been announced for around 2 months now.
Machida will show Shogun that nobody can beat Machida at this very moment and nobody will for sometime. Machida to win in Round 1.
It's a pity Silva is such a **** and will be forced into fighting Machida by Dana White. | |
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| UFC 104: Machida vs. Rua announced
Posted: 8/31/2009 11:50:06 AM | | Ya'll Never Know... Machida could walk out there soon as the bell rings and catch a flying knee to the forhead and be out cold. all of you think you know machida is going to win. ok he might when.. or he might not, theres a reason shogun is in the UFC. Cuz the dude knows how to fight. I'm just gonna be the odd man out and Say Shogun Has This One. :) | |
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| UFC 104: Machida vs. Rua announced
Posted: 8/31/2009 12:13:36 PM | Machida is a HUGE favorite on the betting lines for this one.. He is already a -550 under.
That is monster! | |
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| UFC 104: Machida vs. Rua announced
Posted: 8/31/2009 12:36:33 PM | | Machidas gonna win no doubt about it. He's a counter striker like the spider. I mean look what he did to evans and he's supposed to be a superior wrestler. As for lesnar losing good luck finding someone. | |
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| UFC 104: Machida vs. Rua announced
Posted: 9/7/2009 3:59:53 AM | I like this matchup...I give it to Machida but I love all the old school pride fighters..
I cant wait for cro cop.. the old cro cop.. I hope he comes out at plays in 103 | |
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| UFC 104: Machida vs. Rua announced
Posted: 9/7/2009 11:46:22 AM | I take Shogun via leg lock at around the 2:30 mark of the 1st round.
I have a hard time counting out Lyoto though. His sumo is amazingly effective against the wrestler types. | |
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| UFC 104: Machida vs. Rua announced
Posted: 9/7/2009 2:28:44 PM | Ya.. his sumo comes in really handy... I love it when he bumbs people with his belly and grabs their shorts..
ok.. he is cross trained in a lot of shit.. sumo being one of them.. but that statement is soooo damn ridiculous..
I think your just trying to piss me off.. | |
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| UFC 104: Machida vs. Rua announced
Posted: 9/7/2009 3:43:49 PM | | Do you even know what sumo IS? The letters MMA should never come out of your mouth, or your fingers, because you don't know anything about martial arts to begin with. Just keep saying UFC. | |
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| UFC 104: Machida vs. Rua announced
Posted: 9/7/2009 4:44:22 PM | I'm sooo glad your boxing experience has made you an expert in mma...
I didn't know I should add sumo to my bjj , Muay Thai, boxing , submission wrestling and tai chi chuan fa.. | |
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