“The Dragon” is getting closer to making his Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) return.
Lyoto Machida hasn’t competed inside the Octagon since June 2015. Machida was knocked out by Yoel Romero via some vicious elbows. It was Machida’s second straight loss.
Machida was a recent guest on “The Fighter and The Kid” podcast (via MMAMania.com). Despite the lengthy suspension (18 months), Machida believes things will work out for him in the end:
“It’s very hard because the sport evolves so fast, changes so fast. So, you have to be there to see the changes that are happening in the moment. That’s why I keep training everyday, I try to mix myself in all of the academies. I try to go to Kings MMA with Master Rafael Cordeiro, do some sparring over there, train over there with a bunch of fighters from the UFC and Bellator. I’m very happy to have this opportunity to fight in October (when the suspension lapses). I think at the end of the day, it’s gonna be good for me.”
Machida was once the 205-pound kingpin. He defeated Rashad Evans with a devastating second-round knockout back in 2009. At the time, UFC color commentator Joe Rogan declared it the beginning of the “Machida era.” It didn’t exactly work out that way as Machida won a controversial decision over Mauricio Rua, only to get knocked out by “Shogun” in the rematch.
Still, Machida has been more than a formidable foe inside the Octagon. “The Dragon” currently has a professional mixed martial arts (MMA) record of 22-7. He has knocked out nine of his opponents and has nabbed two submission victories.
When Machida comes back, he will be 39 years of age. He’ll have to compete against the new breed of middleweights. With losses to Chris Weidman, Luke Rockhold, and Romero, it’ll be easier said than done.
