Enter The Dragon

Lyoto Machida might be the best fighter walking the planet at this very moment.

Better than Anderson Silva, better than Fedor and better than GSP.

"The Dragon" is indescribable.

There is no question that I got last night's result wrong; in fact, I got a lot of last night's results wrong, going 4-7 on my predictions, though many other forecasters had similarly slow nights.

For well over a year, I believed that someone would figure out the style of Lyoto Machida, find a hole in the fluid strikes and expert timing. I thought Thiago Silva's punching power and ruthless aggression would swarm the Brazilian karate master. That theory got knocked out at the end of the first round.

Now it was Rashad Evans' turn. With Greg Jackson and Mike Winkeljohn in his corner and a long list of ultra-talented training partners, surely the man who knocked out Chuck Liddell with an explosive counter-punch with the shiny belt around his waist would find a formula that worked.

No dice.

Machida won every round. That is to say, he won the first round and didn't need a judge's scorecard after that. A destructive left hook sealed Rashad Evans' fate and put the UFC Light Heavyweight title around the waist of "The Dragon".

Get used to it.

Get used to Machida vaulting up Pound-for-Pound lists, including here when the next installment comes out in June.

Get used to the UFC showcasing Machida in a way few fighters have been showcased before.

Get used to him wearing that belt because it'll be at least 10 months before he defends it and when he does, it'll be going back around his waist. Sorry, Rampage.

Lyoto Machida is a different kind of fighter. In truth, he is the most impressive Mixed Martial Artist on the planet today, a rare breed of lethal strikes and offense, coupled with impenetrable defense and greater elusiveness than a greased pig.

So far, no one has figured out how to hit him and when they try, they catch a stiff left in the mouth. Or a intestine-rattling body kick. Or they look like Tito Ortiz when he swung and missed and nearly fell over during their fight two years ago.

Remember that legendary run Matt Hughes went on in the welterweight division? Get ready for the Light Heavyweight version.

As much as I didn't want to see it happen, now that we're here, I have no problems with bowing down to the master and proclaiming this The Lyoto Machida Era.

Enter the Dragon.