TORONTO - With fight night just hours away, the only thing left to do is to talk to the master, Steven Seagal, and his take on UFC 140.
As a seventh dan degree and Shihan in aikido, Seagal has been around mixed martial arts a long time and he recently began working with some of the best in the sport.
So who better to break down the top fights that will unfold at the Air Canada Centre Saturday night?
“These guys put it all on the line when they step into the cage, they are all my heroes,” the star of countless Hollywood action movies told the Toronto Sun recently.
The bout that interests Seagal the most is the main event involving Lyoto Machida and Jon Jones.
“I love Lyoto like a own son,” he said.
Machida, who hopes to regain the light heavyweight crown he lost last year, had a big win at UFC 129 in April thanks to his pointers.
Seagal, 59, was octagon side that night at the Rogers Centre.
He may not make it to this fight, but Seagal believes the Dragon can pull off a second huge victory at UFC 140.
“I think Lyoto is a better puncher, a better kicker and he really moves better than Jon,” he said.
If he doesn’t make it to UFC 140, Seagal said he planned to offer Machida some last minute advice via Skype.
“I see some things Jon does that I think can be exploited,” he said. “And I’m going to go over those things with Lyoto.”
He hopes Machida can get inside Jones’ incredibly long reach and test his chin, something nobody has been able to do.
“In my opinion Lyoto is probably the best striker in the business,” Seagal said.
“I’m not saying he hits harder than Junior Dos Santos or someone like that,” he clarified. “But his speed, his timing and his accuracy are very good.”
Seagal believes Machida will be the biggest test of Bones’ young career.
“He’s a great fighter,” Seagal said of the champ. “But do I think he’s a great puncher and kicker? Absolutely not.”
“He’s just very big and very strong and he’s a very good wrestler,” he said.
In terms of martial arts training, Machida has “put more time in,” Seagal said of the third dan black belt in Shotokan and black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
Seagal is also interested in the fights involving the Nogeuira brothers, two members of Black House, the team of Brazilian fighters he is close to.
“Big Nog a great man with a big heart and a lot of skill,” he said of Minotauro Nogeuira, who fights Frank Mir.
Nogeuira and Mir are both former heavyweight champs and this is a much anticipated rematch.
“I love Frank Mir,” Seagal said. “He’s a great guy.”
“His dad is a cop, so I have to like him,” he added with a laugh.
Seagal, who is a reserve Deputy Chief in a sheriff’s office in Louisiana, often plays a cop in movies and he starred in the reality show Lawman.
Not surprisingly, Seagal believes Little Nog (Antonio Rogerio Nogeuira) will defeat Tito Ortiz.
“I think Tito probably won’t last two rounds...nowadays he doesn’t really have the greatest stamina,” Seagal said.
The fighter now known as the People’s Champ turns 37 next month and Seagal thinks it’s time Ortiz call it a career.
Canadian Mark Hominick caught Seagal’s attention when he watched him come up short at UFC 129 against Black House member and featherweight champ Jose Aldo.
He expects the Machine to come out guns blazing against the Korean Zombie, Chan Sung Jung.
“Hominick has a lot of heart, he’s got good moves and a lot of stamina,” Seagal said. “That kid impressed all of us,”
