By FCF Staff

For the first time in his memorable career, Lyoto Machida has been finished in consecutive fights, and UFC commentator Brian Stann believes there could be a link.

Machida was knocked out by Yoel Romero at UFC Fight Night 70 last night, approximately two months after he was submitted by Luke Rockhold at UFC on FOX 15. Although that bout officially came as a result of a rear-naked-choke, Machida was badly hurt by a series of elbows in that fight as well.

Following Saturday’s contest, Stann spoke to MMA Fighting.com and relayed the following about Machida, and whether he may have been fighting too soon.

“If he has trained very hard, if he’s sparred hard for this fight, I think that could be a problem,” said Stann. “You don’t heal from getting hurt like that that quickly. It can still have a ripple effect two months later. I think that’s an interesting thing.”

“It absolutely could if he quickly within a month went right back in the gym and started taking shots again, absolutely,” Stann said. “He can’t do that…”

The 37 year-old has dropped back-to-back bouts before, but in that case, Machida was knocked out by “Shogun” Rua, before he dropped a tightly contested, split decision to “Rampage” Jackson in 2010.