Lyoto Machida drops to 185, meets Tim Kennedy at UFC Fight for the Troops 3

[No More Sorrow]

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida will make a long-discussed drop to middleweight, and his first test will be a military hero – on a military base.

Machida (19-4 MMA, 11-4 UFC) will meet Tim Kennedy (16-4 MMA, 1-0 UFC) at the UFC's third "Fight for the Troops" show, expected to be UFC Fight Night 31. The show will take place Nov. 6 at Fort Campbell, a U.S. Army installation in Kentucky. The main card is expected to air on FOX Sports 1.


UFC President Dana White announced the fight late Wednesday on "FOX Sports Live."


Machida is coming off a controversial split-decision loss to Phil Davis at UFC 163 earlier this month. The loss dropped him to 3-3 since losing his 205-pound title to Mauricio Rua at UFC 113 more than three years ago. After losing the belt, Machida lost to Quinton Jackson, then beat Randy Couture to get another shot at the title – but was submitted by champ Jon Jones at UFC 140.


Kennedy, a Bronze Star medal winner while in the Army, made his UFC debut in July at UFC 162 and won a unanimous decision against Roger Gracie. Before coming to the UFC in the merger with Strikeforce, he was 3-1 in that organization before losing a title fight against Luke Rockhold. He finished his tenure there with a 4-2 record.


The UFC most recently did a troops show in January 2011 at Fort Hood, Texas. In December 2008, the first "Fight for the Troops" show took place in Fayetteville, N.C.

Now that Machida and Belfort are locked up, i guess it's almost a certainty they're going to be doing Wanderlei Silva and Chael Sonnen.

 

[Troy]

Would he think that he has a better shot at getting a title shot at 185 rather than 205 after that loss to Davis? He did so well at LHW and I guess did everything that he needed to do so it will be interesting to see how far he can go at middleweight.

 

[Embrace Thou Maryse]

I'd say he's just trying reinvent himself as it were and start anew. Shame he's still the clear #2 LHW but he got caught coasting to a Title shot and American MMA rewards getting one or two takedowns over anything else.

 

[Big Red Jericho Punk]

I'd say he's just trying reinvent himself as it were and start anew. Shame he's still the clear #2 LHW but he got caught coasting to a Title shot and American MMA rewards getting one or two takedowns over anything else.

Couldn't agree more. Hopefully he finishes Kennedy early. Still seems funny to see Machida fight in Kentucky, not sure why. I always see him as a fighter, who fights in big time cities. Don't like this matchup and Kennedy better be ready to put on the performance of his life.

 

[The Cork]

Ugh, just cut Machida already.

Fitch got a bad rap but he was never as boring as Machida.

 

[Big Red Jericho Punk]

Ugh, just cut Machida already.

Fitch got a bad rap but he was never as boring as Machida.

Dana will always keep Machida just for knocking out Randy. That will always be close to his heart. :dana:

 

[Deezy]

Machida just needs to start lunging forward again, he is constantly on his heels after Shogun knocked him out. Too scared to wake up staring at the lights to actually have an attack and just coast on defense. It doesn't help him at all, just because slow guys like Couture and Bader were left laying by this style don't nmean everyone is going to stand in front of you.

Had his best run up to the belt when he was the aggressor.