Apr 5, 2014

Lyoto Machida


www.lyotomachinda.net

Lyoto Carvalho Machida (born May 30, 1978 in Salvador, Brazil) is a Japanese-Brazilian professional mixed martial arts fighter. Son of a Japanese-Brazilian Shotokan karate master Yoshizo Machida, Lyoto is considered by many to be a superstar of the UFC. In 2009 he won the UFC light heavyweight title by defeating Rashad Evens in near perfect fashion. He is the 1st UFC fighter to win a title with a perfect record (16-0). Leading up to his title he secured victories over talented opponents such as Tito Ortiz, Rich Franklin, B.J. Penn, Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou, Stephan Bonnar, Thiago Silva, and Sam Hogar. Machida is noted for his semi-orthodox fighting style, known as Machida Karate. As a karate practitioner, Machida uses an unorthodox (or southpaw) stance.

Machida currently fights out of the Machida Dojo in Belem, Brazil. He trains with such fighters as UFC Middleweight champion Anderson Silva, former UFC Light Heavyweight champion Vitor Belfort, and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira.

Comments on Lyoto Machida:

“I didn’t see the kick at all. He a lot of times starts a left kick and then follows with a straight punch, and I’d seen that combination a lot in training. I’d never seen him do that particular set-up starting with a left kick and finishing with a right kick anywhere in any of his films, so it was a different deal.” – Randy Couture

“My trainers are in there and told me I won the fight. But when I was in the fight, I just had a one-track mind to knock him out. In the third round, he came at me so much, I forget what happened in the first two rounds. … It’s one of those things where at the time I thought I was getting my ass whooped because I was just on the ground taking a flurry to my face.” – Rampage Jackson

Elusive? You know what weren’t elusive? His feet. You know what else weren’t elusive? His fists. Somebody should have clarified that for me before the fight. If he was elusive tonight I don’t want to face the man when he decides to stop being elusive. Rashad Evans

“He’s very elusive and it was tough to chase him down, he’s a great fighter.” - Tito Ortiz