Former Strikeforce middleweight champion Luke Rockhold overwhelmed former light-heavyweight champ Lyoto Machida, en route to a submission win at UFC on FOX 15 in New Jersey.
Rockhold’s strikes frustrated Machida, who was caught and knocked down. Rockhold pounced the second time, securing the rear-naked choke.
Welcome back to The Crossfire.
MMA Crossfire Expert Kenai Andrews checks in.
#8 FELICE “LIL BULLDOG” HERRIG VS #12 PAIGE VAN ZANT
ANDREWS PREDICTION: PAIGE VANZANT VIA TKO
WINNER: PAIGE VANZANT VIA UNANIMOUS DECISION
Andrews: A great fight as VanZant showed her toughness, overcoming everything Felice threw at her. She served notice that the hype is real and she’s on her way. Hard luck for Felice, but she needed to finish VanZant when she had her down.
#5 CUB SWANSON VS #9 MAX “BLESSED” HOLLOWAY
ANDREWS PREDICTION: MAX HOLLOWAY VIA SPLIT-DECISION
WINNER: MAX HOLLOWAY VIA 3RD ROUND SUBMISSION 3:58
Andrews: I thought the fight would right down to the wire and it almost did, but Holloway outworked Swanson and picked him apart, while taking the shots necessary to do it. Cub performed well too and who knows what would have happened if he could have landed a few more shots. Great win for Holloway, he is on fire.
#2 RONALDO “JACARE” SOUZA VS CHRIS CAMOZZI
ANDREWS PREDICTION: RONALDO SOUZA VIA SUBMISSION
WINNER: RONALDO SOUZA VIA SUBMISSION
Andrews: You have to commend Camozzi for going back in there against a guy who is in full-beast mode, but he did. The result however, was predictable and Souza wasted no time in submitting him.
MAIN EVENT
#2 LYOTO “THE DRAGON” MACHIDA VS #3 LUKE ROCKHOLD
ANDREWS PREDICTION: LYOTO MACHIDA VIA UNANIMOUS DECISION
WINNER: LUKE ROCKHOLD VIA 2ND ROUND 2:31 SUBMISSION
Andrews: Wow! Rockhold actually frustrated Machida into making mistakes and put him away with a rear-naked choke that you rarely see Machida in. Amazing. He looks title-ready.
