UFC Fight Night 36: Does a Lyoto Machida win merit a title shot? Not with Ronaldo Souza in the picture

UFC Fight Night 36 is bound to shape the middleweight division for the near future and, as of now, it seems Lyoto Machida has the best chance at a title shot. UFC President Dana White was interviewed this past Wednesday on “Fox Sports Live” and stated that if Machida comes away with the win, the Brazilian “could possibly be in line for the next title shot.”

Given the obvious level of competition at 185 pounds, has Machida really done enough to merit a title opportunity? He’s fought just once as a middleweight and is 3-2 in his past five fights, four of which were in the light heavyweight division.

UFC Fight Night 36: Does a Lyoto Machida win merit a title shot? Not with Ronaldo Souza in the picture

One thing that has everyone talking is the way Machida defeated Mark Munoz. Munoz is the seventh ranked middleweight in the UFC and Machida simply had his way with him before finishing the fight in spectacular fashion. A first round KO usually gives a fighter an added edge in terms of title contention and popularity, which usually sets the stage for a title bout, especially with such highly ranked fighters. Nevertheless, even with his decisive win over Munoz, there are other fighters who should be given  similar consideration, if not more.

With that said, have people already forgotten about Ronaldo Souza’s victory over Yushin Okami?

Jacare Souza is a beast on the rise and should be given more credit as a middleweight contender.If anything, this fight was more impressive simply because Jacare was considered a BJJ specialist, but displayed immense power and striking skills. Okami has only been knocked out twice before in his UFC career, once by Tim Boetsch and, not surprisingly, Anderson Silva. Souza is undefeated in the UFC with a 2-0 record and was a big name in Strikeforce before the company merged with the UFC. His only losses have come against Luke Rockhold and Machida’s UFC Fight Night 36 opponent Gegard Mousasi. In his defense, Rockhold defeated him via unanimous decision and Mousasi was able to land an upkick while getting dominated on the ground. However, since those losses, Jacare is a completely different fighter both physically and mentally, which has been the main reason for his recent success.

Which Brazilian is more deserving? On one hand, Machida is the more popular fighter and has proven himself in the past. Though his win over Munoz was impressive, he has not done all that much as a middleweight and it is difficult to consider him an undisputed contender, for now at least. On the other hand, Jacare was extremely dominant in Strikeforce, holding the title once, and has demonstrated relentless MMA skill since joining the UFC. His submission win over Chris Camozzi was something to admire, while his knockout of Okami was a perfect example of his ferociousness. With both these wins coming in the first round, it is almost surprising that Machida is the next “possible” contender. With that said, UFC Fight Night 36 will answer all the questions, as both Brazilians will be headlining the card in Jaragua do Sul, Brazil.

Jacare will be taking on eight ranked middleweight Francis Cormont. This is a solid matchup for Souza because Cormont is known for the grind and keeping his distance. If Jacare wants to have his way with Cormont, he will have to work a lot harder to get in close and unleash his skills. If he were to defeat Cormont, who would be the next option for Souza? He is currently ranked the third middleweight fighter in the UFC and one more win should lock in that title opportunity, or at least a number one contender fight.

Right under Souza is fourth ranked fighter Machida, who will be taking on Mousasi in the main event. Mousasi is another fighter making the transition to another weight class and is unranked as a middleweight. Mousasi is 4-0 in his last four fights, was the DREAM FC champion and won his UFC debut back in April 2013. He is the ninth ranked light heavyweight but Machida will by far be his toughest challenge. Having said that, it does not make much sense to grant Machida a title shot if he defeats an up-and-coming fighter making his middleweight debut. Souza is the higher ranked fighter and taking on a much bigger challenge, at least from a middleweight standpoint, so it all comes down to who wins and how they do it.

While there would need to be an opponent for Chris Wideman or Vitor Belfort after their championship bout, a number one contender fight between Souza and Machida seems like the most exciting and viable option for the UFC. Back in December, at a media day press conference in Rio de Janeiro, Jacare discussed his future in the UFC and said he has the ability to beat Weidman, and wants to take on the winner of Machida-Mousasi. Why Dana White has not brought this up is anyone’s guess, but the rankings speak volumes, and a decisive win for both fighters should increase the popularity of this subject. 

To go back to a previous statement, there is only one way to guarantee Machida a title shot, and that is a Jacare loss. In all fairness, it should be the same circumstance for Jacare as well. As mentioned, a spectacular finish for either fighter will give them an added edge as the next round of middleweight bouts get scheduled, with all hopes falling on a number one contender bout. However, if one of these highly ranked Brazilians were to lose, it seems certain that the other will be next in line for a title shot. No pressure though.