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Lyoto "The Dragon" Machida, a karate specialist, used his kicks to gain the advantage and then landed a series a punches that knocked Rashad Evans down three times in the second round to win the UFC light heavyweight championship at UFC 98 in Las Vegas. The final blow was a devastating left hook that flattened Evans. His 205-pound body collapsed faster than the last few grains of a sand in a timer.
I tried all my life to be a champion, and I'm very, very happy," Machida said. "And now, I'm going to keep this belt for a long time. And to everyone, if you have a dream in your life, go ahead, it's possible. Machida's unorthodox style kept Evans (18-1-1) at bay the entire fight. Machida (15-0) landed big left kicks in the first and second rounds, helping to keep Evans at bay. Machida connected on a left leg kick to the body, followed by a left hand that dropped Evans to the ground toward the end of the first round. Machida pounced on Evans and landed a few shots before the champion got back to his feet.