UFC 104: Machida Retains Against Shogun
UFC 104 put a disputed championship decision at the center of an otherwise decisive night in Los Angeles. On October 24, 2009, at the STAPLES Center, Lyoto Machida retained the UFC light heavyweight title against Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, while Cain Velasquez strengthened his heavyweight credentials by stopping Ben Rothwell. Eleven bouts made up the card, with wrestling, leg kicks and sharp finishing attacks all shaping the evening.
Video: a contemporary UFC 104 extended preview, offering pre-fight context for Machida vs. Rua.
Machida keeps the title, but Rua changes the argument
Machida entered his first title defense after knocking out Rashad Evans at UFC 98. His elusive movement and counterstriking had made him appear unusually difficult to solve. Rua offered a different answer: disciplined kicks to the body and legs, sustained pressure and a willingness to make the champion work without chasing recklessly.
The challenger’s approach made this a technical contest rather than a wild exchange. Machida still landed counters and had productive moments, but Rua repeatedly attacked targets that remained available when the champion moved away. The result was five rounds in which the difference between clean counterpunching and accumulated kicking damage became the central scoring question.
All three judges scored the fight 48–47 for Machida. The official result was a unanimous decision and a successful title defense; the controversy was over whether those scorecards reflected the action. Those are separate facts, and both belong in the event’s history. Rua lost on the record while emerging with a much stronger claim to belonging at the very top of the division.
The decision also changed the conversation surrounding Machida. An unbeaten champion could still win a close fight, yet this performance showed that opponents had practical ways to challenge his timing and movement. For Rua, the night helped restore the standing of a former PRIDE standout whose early UFC appearances had been uneven.
Velasquez imposes his pace on Rothwell
Velasquez followed his decision victory over Cheick Kongo at UFC 99 with a more emphatic finish. Against Rothwell, he kept the fight moving through takedowns and ground strikes. Rothwell’s size did not prevent the younger heavyweight from establishing control, and the referee stopped the contest 58 seconds into the second round.
The stoppage generated objections from Rothwell, but the broader performance was clear: Velasquez could repeatedly put a large opponent in difficult positions and continue attacking. It was another important step in a division where stamina and wrestling could be as consequential as a single heavy punch.
Stevenson, Tibau and Johnson deliver on the main card
Joe Stevenson used positional control and elbows to defeat Spencer Fisher in the second round. The ending is sometimes described as a submission to strikes; the results archive records it as a TKO from submission to elbows. Gleison Tibau also succeeded through grappling, earning a unanimous decision over Josh Neer. These two lightweight bouts made control on the ground a recurring theme.
Anthony Johnson provided the quick burst of striking, stopping Yoshiyuki Yoshida in 41 seconds. His performance also came with an important qualification: Johnson weighed 176 pounds for a scheduled welterweight bout, so the fight took place at a catchweight. The finishing ability was obvious, but the weight miss remains part of the account.
The preliminaries reward pressure and persistence
Pat Barry recovered from early trouble to stop fellow kickboxer Antoni Hardonk in round two. Chael Sonnen’s decision over Yushin Okami was another notable result, with persistent wrestling giving him a valuable middleweight win. Ryan Bader likewise used his physical tools to defeat Eric Schafer over three rounds.
Jorge Rivera finished Rob Kimmons late, Kyle Kingsbury edged Razak Al-Hassan on split scorecards, and Stefan Struve submitted Chase Gormley in the opening round. Together, the preliminaries supplied a useful counterweight to the disputed headliner: several athletes settled their contests before the judges became involved.
Complete UFC 104 results
Main card
- Lyoto Machida def. Mauricio Rua — unanimous decision, round 5, 5:00; retained the light heavyweight title (48–47 on all three cards).
- Cain Velasquez def. Ben Rothwell — TKO (punches), round 2, 0:58.
- Gleison Tibau def. Josh Neer — unanimous decision, round 3, 5:00.
- Joe Stevenson def. Spencer Fisher — TKO (submission to elbows), round 2, 4:03.
- Anthony Johnson def. Yoshiyuki Yoshida — TKO (punches), round 1, 0:41; catchweight.
Preliminary card
- Ryan Bader def. Eric Schafer — unanimous decision, round 3, 5:00.
- Pat Barry def. Antoni Hardonk — TKO (punches), round 2, 2:30.
- Chael Sonnen def. Yushin Okami — unanimous decision, round 3, 5:00.
- Jorge Rivera def. Rob Kimmons — TKO (punches), round 3, 1:53.
- Kyle Kingsbury def. Razak Al-Hassan — split decision, round 3, 5:00.
- Stefan Struve def. Chase Gormley — submission (triangle choke), round 1, 4:04.
Sources
Article Tags
UFC 104, Lyoto Machida, Shogun Rua, Cain Velasquez, Ben Rothwell, UFC Results
