Forum Throwdown is a popular FiveKnuckles feature that provides our forum members with an opportunity to have their posts be seen on the main page while we showcase what many consider to be the best MMA forum section on the net. In our most recent edition, arlovskiviako, Storm, D_V, JujitsWho, and thug4less dig into a fantasy matchup between Strikeforce light-heavyweight champ Gegard Mousasi and UFC champ Lyoto Machida.

arlovskiviako- I think both fighters would present big problems for the other, Mousasi has good standup and a good ground game. Machida has very evasive standup, I think Mousasi would be able to use his speed to get in on Machida. Mousasi has good throws and takedowns but I am not certain he would be able to get Machida down so I think this fight would be either Mousasi getting Machida down and possibly finishing it or riding out a decision on the ground or a lot of clinch and bullying for a decision win for Mousasi. Though I am not certain on their strenth in the clinch so Machida might bully Mousasi for the win.

This is also depending on when they fight, I think a fight right now would be a lot closer than a fight in a few years.

Storm- I might be one of the bigger Mousasi fans around and imo... he doesn't stand much of a chance to win.

Machida is the better striker. Not to say that Mousasi is bad, just that Machida is better. On the ground Machida is better too. Mousasi has a ground game, but it isn't spectacular or anything. He is a striker first and a submission artist second. Machida is MUCH faster then Mousasi too. I really dont get where you were talking about Mousasi's speed being a problem for Machida. Machida has better angles as well. Mousasi would not be able to take Machida down either. Ridiculous. He had a hard time getting and keeping Sokodjou to the ground.

D_V- Machida's better now. To correct things though, Machida is nowhere near better on the ground, nowhere near better. I'll say it again, nowhere near better. Mousasi has tremendous top position. His balance is outrageous and he throws accurate top position strikes with insane power. We haven't seen machida on the bottom much but I'd venture to say mousasi is better in that regard as well. Mousasi is legit on the mat, top or bottom. He's a danger to end the fight in either spot, Machida is not. Not really anyway. Of course, Mousasi could never get it there anyway and Machida wins on points but there is an outside chance that Gegard is really competitive standing too. He does have good leg kicks and his range is better than Machida's. Machida was exposed slightly against Shogun in that everybody thought he was unhittable but really he is only unhittable against untechnical strikers like Rashad Evans and Thiago Silva, who are both neophytes strikingwise compared to Mousasi. If they fought I wouldn't be shocked if Mousasi won. I wouldn't predict it but I wouldn't be shocked.

JujitsWho- I like Mousasi much better than Machida....but at this point in time I would say Machida would win. I think it would be a pretty good match myself. Both are good strikers, and have comparible ground skills.

In a couple of years, I would likely give this fight to Mousasi as I think he is just at the tip of the iceberg as far as his overall talent but for now...