411 Fighter Profile: Lyoto Machida

Posted by  on 08.19.2008

He is one of the rising contenders in the what may be the toughest division in the entire sport. Before he fights at UFC 89 next month, take a closer look at Lyoto Machida.

Lyoto Machida

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Nickname: "The Dragon"
Record: 13-0
Weight: 205 lbs.
Height: 6'1"
Hometown: Belem, Brazil
Ranking #4 light heavyweight, #8 pound-for-pound
Association: Black House
Organizations: UFC (current), K-1, Jungle Fight, WFA

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Introduction

Right now within the light heavyweight ranks of the UFC, there is one guy that nobody wants to fight. His most recent opponent (Tito Ortiz) said of him, "He's very elusive and it was tough to chase him down, he's a great fighter." He's already beaten three former UFC champions, and it could be a matter of time before he is wearing UFC gold around his waist. Lyoto Machida may just be the future of the light heavyweight division. Before his next fight in October, let's take a closer look at his past.

Early Life

Machida was born on May 30th, 1978 in Salvador, Brazil. He soon moved to Belem where he still lives to this day. His father, Yoshizo Machida, was a master in Shotokan karate. Lyoto first started his karate training at the tender age of four, achieving black belt status when he was 13. He also took up Sumo training when he was 12, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu when he was 15. He won a number of amateur karate tournaments, most notably the 2001 Pan American. His older brother Chinzo was also an accomplished Shotokan fighter, and the two competed against one another in a Karate Final where Lyoto gave his brother a scar on his cheek that still exists today. His other brother Kenzo is a TV journalist for one of Brazil's top stations.

While in college Lyoto was introduced to Japanese pro wrestling legend Antonio Inoki, who immediately made Lyoto his protégé. The Japanese media quickly dubbed Lyoto, "The Second Inoki." Machida trained in wrestling at the New Japan Pro Wrestling dojo in Tokyo, and also spent some time learning Muay Thai in Thailand. Inoki placed him on several shows early in his MMA career, but he also spent some time in Jungle Fight in his native Brazil, as well as participating in the early MMA shows from K-1.

MMA Career

Win, Kengo Watanabe, Decision (unanimous), round 3, 5:00
    NJPW-Ultimate Crush, Tokyo, Japan, 05.02.03
Win, Stephan Bonnar, TKO (cut), round 1, 4:21
    Jungle Fight 1, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, 09.13.03
-While they're now both familiar to UFC audiences, these two met five years ago in the small Jungle Fight promotion. Each man was undefeated going in, and this was Bonnar's fourth professional fight.



Win, Rich Franklin, TKO (strikes), round 2, 1:03
    Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2003, Kobe, Japan, 12.31.03
-Before he was a middleweight champion in the UFC, Franklin fought at light heavyweight. Here Machida hands "Ace" his first career loss.



Win, Michael McDonald, Submission (guillotine choke), round 1, 2:30
    K-1: Beast 2004, Saitama, Japan, 03.14.04
-This would be the shortest fight of Machida's career (so far).



Win, Sam Greco, Decision (split), round 3, 5:00
    K-1 MMA: ROMANEX, Saitama, Japan, 05.22.04




Win, BJ Penn, Decision (unanimous), round 3, 5:00
    K-1 HERO's 1, Saitama, Japan, 03.26.05
-You could easily make the case that this is the biggest win of Machida's MMA career so far. However some fans like to put an asterisk next to this result because Penn (a natural lightweight) was moving up to the light heavyweight division.





Win, Dimitri Wanderley, TKO (forfeit), round 3, :40
    Jungle Fight 6, Rio De Janeiro, 04.29.06
Win, Vernon White, Decision (unanimous), round 3, 5:00
    WFA: King Of The Streets, Los Angeles, CA, 07.22.06
-This was Lyoto's American debut. It was also the only fight he had in the WFA. Once the company went out of business, Machida's contract was acquired by the UFC.





Win, Sam Hoger, Decision (unanimous), round 3, 5:00
    UFC 67: All Or Nothing, Las Vegas, NV, 02.03.07
Win, David Heath, Decision (unanimous), round 3, 5:00
    UFC 70: Nations Collide, Manchester, England, 04.21.07
Win, Kazuhiro Nakamura, Decision (unanimous), round 3, 5:00
    UFC 76: Knockout, Anaheim, CA, 09.22.07
Win, Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou, Submission (arm triangle choke), round 2, 4:20
    UFC 79: Nemesis, Las Vegas, NV, 12.29.07
-Coming into this fight most of the hype was centered around the debuting Sokoudjou. Machida played spoiler in his highest profile fight so far within the UFC.



Win, Tito Ortiz, Decision (unanimous), round 3, 5:00
    UFC 84: Ill Will, Las Vegas, NV, 05.24.08
-Machida scores the biggest win of his octagon career by frustrating and out-scoring the former long-time UFC light heavyweight champion.

The Future

UFC 89 is the next test for Lyoto Machida. In Birmingham, England he will go up against another tough Brazilian fighter with an unbeaten record. Thiago Silva will be the next guy to try and figure out the Machida riddle. If Lyoto emerges victorious he would be that much closer to a light heavyweight title shot. The question is though, how long can he remain unbeaten against the best fighters in the world? The only way to know is to keep watching him.