UFC 104 started with a bang and ended with a robbery. Anthony Johnson delivered a swift knockout of Yoshiyuki Yoshida, ending the opening bout in just 41 seconds. The main event would last a little longer, as it would go the distance, 25 minutes in the light heavyweight championship fight.The champion, Lyoto Machida, came into this fight with Shogun Rua undefeated, and according to the record books, he also left undefeated, with his championship belt around his waist. But according to almost anyone, other than the three judges octagon-side, Rua won this fight. When I watched the fight live, I thought Rua had done much more than Machida, had been more aggressive, and overall was more impressive. After I watched the replay, I scored the fight round by round. On my scorecard, I have Machida rounds 1 and 3, while giving Rua the 2nd, 4th, and 5th. The closest of these rounds was the 1st, as I easily could have gone the other way with this round, it was an even round. This would give Rua the decision on my card, three rounds to two. But the judges saw it differently, all awarding Machida the 1st three rounds, and giving him the win by unaminous decision.
Shogun was robbed, and everyone knows it, the sold-out Staples Center knew it, as they booed mercifully at the decision. Dana White knew it, as he said Rua won the fight at the post fight press conference. White immediately said he is scheduling a rematch, I guess that is only justice. If Rua can't have the belt, at least he has a rematch. And if he fights the same exact fight the next time around, he will leave as the champion.
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