Former UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida has a certain goal in mind that he wants to fulfill before he calls it a career.
He competed inside the Octagon for the first time in over two years in October but lost to Derek Brunson by first-round TKO in Brazil. If you recall, Machida was suspended for 18 months due to an anti-doping violation.
Machida did declare his usage of a product containing the banned substance 7-keto-dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), which is a steroid. Machida also confirmed the use of the product and said he did not know it contained a prohibited drug.
Once his sample was tested, it came back with an elevated 7β-hydroxy-DHEA to DHEA ratio during a sample collection in April 2016.
He then picked up a victory over Eryk Anders in a middleweight bout in the main event of UFC Belem.
Now, Machida is expected to face Vitor Belfort at the UFC 224 pay-per-view. In a recent interview with MMAJunkie, he noted that he wants to have classic fights going forward and that starts with Belfort.
“They want to retire me, but I don’t want to be retired,” Machida said after a press conference to launch UFC 224. “I have more fights. I have more years. I believe that. Because the verb that I like to say here, it’s not about ‘can,’ but about ‘want.’ If you want something, you can get it. That’s what I put in my mind.”
“It’s different because I feel more confident now,” Machida said. “I feel like I can give my best. Because, when you have no options – only victory – you feel a lot of pressure over your shoulders. But once you release everything, it’s showtime. It’s time to show everything I have.”
“Of course, I believe that a great victory over Vitor Belfort is going to be a very good step for me,” Machida said. “But I don’t want to think about that. I don’t want to just get stuck on this fight. I want to fight this fight and wait for the UFC.
“Of course, I’d like to fight Michael Bisping, too, because that’s another fight that I think (could have happened) in the past. But one thing at a time.”
What are your thoughts on Machida not wanting to retire and instead, accept classic fights? Sound off in the comment section below.
