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Lyoto Machida
| Lyoto Machida | |
|---|---|
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| Born | Lyoto Carvalho Machida May 30, 1978 (1978-05-30) (age 31) Salvador, Brazil |
| Other names | The Dragon |
| Residence | Belém, Brazil |
| Nationality |  Brazilian |
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
| Weight | 205 lb (93 kg; 14.6 st) |
| Division | 205 |
| Reach | 74.0 in (188 cm) |
| Style | Machida Karate, Shotokan, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Sumo |
| Stance | Southpaw |
| Team | Black House |
| Trainer | Yoshizo Machida |
| Rank | 3rd-dan black belt in Shotokan black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu |
| Years active | 2003–present MMA |
| MMA record | |
| Total | 17 |
| Wins | 16 |
| By knockout | 5 |
| By submission | 2 |
| By decision | 9 |
| Losses | 1 |
| Other information | |
| Spouse | Fabyola |
| Children | 1 |
| Notable relatives | Shinzo Machida, brother |
| Official website | |
| Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog | |
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Lyoto Carvalho Machida (born May 30, 1978) is a Japanese Brazilian mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter from Salvador, Brazil who fights as a Light Heavyweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He is a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. He is currently ranked as the #2 light heavyweight fighter in the world and the #10 pound-for-pound fighter by Sherdog.
The son of a Japanese Shotokan karate master, Yoshizo Machida (町田 嘉三, Machida YoshizÅ), Machida holds notable victories over Stephan Bonnar, Thiago Silva, Tito Ortiz, Rich Franklin, B.J. Penn, Rashad Evans and Mauricio Rua. Machida utilizes a karate striking style that implements a wide Shotokan stance and an elusive strategy. On May 23, 2009, Machida won the UFC light-heavyweight championship from the previously undefeated Rashad Evans by knockout in the second round. Machida subsequently lost his title, and his undefeated streak, on May 8, 2010 when he was knocked out in the first round by "Shogun" Rua.
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Early life
Machida was born in the city of Salvador as the third son of the highly ranked head of the Brazilian branch of the Japan Karate Association, Shotokan karate master Yoshizo Machida. Yoshizo moved to Brazil from Japan when he was 22 years old there he met and married Lyoto's mother, Ana Claudia. Growing up in Belém, Lyoto began training in karate at the age of three and earned his black belt at the age of thirteen. He also began training in sumo at twelve and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at fifteen. He won a number of amateur karate tournaments, including the 2001 Pan American Karate tournament.
He was the runner-up in the 2000 Brazilian Sumo Championships in the 115 kg division. As an adult, he became Brazilian Champion twice, and placed second in the South American Championship. He defeated American black belt Jiu-Jitsu fighter Rafael Lovato Jr. at L.A. Sub X. In addition to his sumo and karate achievements, he has a college degree in Physical Education. Lyoto's brother, Chinzo, is a Shotokan vice-champion (Australia 2006), losing only to number-one ranked Shotokan master Koji Ogata. Lyoto and Chinzo fought in a Karate Final 10 years ago in which Lyoto gave Chinzo a cheek scar that still exists today. His other brothers include Kenzo Machida, a TV journalist for one of Brazil's biggest TV stations, Take Machida and adopted brother Francisco Machida.
New Japan Pro Wrestling and early MMA
In college, Machida met Japanese pro wrestler and promoter Antonio Inoki. Because he saw potential in Machida, Inoki took him as a protégé and billed him as an upcoming star. Machida continued training by taking up Muay Thai in Thailand and wrestling at the New Japan Pro Wrestling dojo in Tokyo. Japanese media soon dubbed him "The Second Inoki." Machida made his MMA debut in Inoki's New Japan Pro Wrestling: Ultimate Crush on May 2, 2003, being billed as simply "Lyoto", where he defeated journeyman Pancrase fighter Kengo Watanabe by decision. He looked more comfortable in his follow-up fight against future The Ultimate Fighter 1 runner-up Stephan Bonnar, whom he defeated by cut stoppage. In his third fight, he faced 12–0 UFC veteran Rich Franklin as an underdog at Inoki Bom-ba-ye 2003. Machida knocked out Franklin with strikes early in the second round.
At 3–0, he began to fight in K-1's early MMA efforts, with wins against two high-ranked K-1 kickboxers, Michael McDonald and Sam Greco. In his last match with the K-1 organization, K-1 Hero's 1, he faced the former UFC lightweight champion B.J. Penn, who was considered to be one of the top pound-for-pound fighters at the time, but who came to the fight at a significant weight disadvantage. Machida landed the cleaner shots en route to an easy decision, but did not gain much recognition for the victory due to his inability to finish the smaller fighter.
After permanently splitting with Inoki, Machida signed with a newly revitalized World Fighting Alliance and began to compete in the United States. In his American debut, Machida defeated Vernon White by unanimous decision at the WFA: King of the Streets event in Inglewood, California. After the WFA went out of business for the second time, the UFC acquired Machida's contract.
Ultimate Fighting Championship
Rise through the ranks
Machida made his UFC debut on the preliminary card of UFC 67 against Sam Hoger and won by unanimous decision. He followed up with a main-card debut at UFC 70 and won a unanimous decision against David Heath. He next faced judo practitioner and Pride Fighting Championship veteran Kazuhiro Nakamura at UFC 76. Machida won by unanimous decision and Nakamura would later test positive for marijuana.
At UFC 79, Machida faced the highly touted Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou, a judo practitioner who was making his UFC debut after two quick upset victories over Pride veterans Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and Ricardo Arona. He scored the first stoppage of his UFC career by submitting Sokoudjou with an arm triangle choke in the second round.
Machida's next fight was at UFC 84, facing former UFC light-heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz in what would be Ortiz's final UFC appearance before a long-standing dispute with Dana White led to Ortiz being out of a UFC contract for over a year. Machida frustrated Ortiz with lateral movement and counterstriking while successfully defending against the former champion's takedowns. In the closing minute of the first round Ortiz got Machida in a clinch, but Machida took the wrestler Ortiz down, move to side control and had Ortiz in a modified crucifix position and began to punch Ortiz's unprotected face. The round however ended before the ref stopped the fight. In the final seconds of the third round, Machida landed a flying knee to the body of Ortiz and knocked him to the mat. As Machida moved in to finish the fight, Ortiz almost locked in a triangle choke before transitioning to an armbar attempt. Machida managed to escape and win a unanimous decision, and all three judges scored the fight 30–27 in his favor.
Machida was originally scheduled to fight fellow undefeated Brazilian Thiago Silva at UFC 89 in Birmingham, England, however, the bout was postponed due to a back injury sustained by Silva. The fight ultimately took place at UFC 94. After scoring several trips and knockdowns, Machida managed to knock out the grounded Silva in the final second of the first round. Machida's first UFC knockout earned Knockout of the Night Honors and a $65,000 bonus. In June 2009, Lyoto Machida was nominated for the 2009 ESPYS "Best Fighter" category, along with Anderson Silva, Manny Pacquiao, and Shane Mosley. However, Machida didn't gain enough votes and the award was won instead by pro boxer Manny Pacquiao.
Light Heavyweight Championship
Machida met then light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans in another clash of undefeated fighters at UFC 98. Machida scored an early knockdown in the first-round, while Evans struggled to make any progress. In the second-round, Evans experienced a flurry of accurate punches by Machida rendering him unconscious before hitting the canvas. Machida was subsequently crowned the new UFC Light Heavyweight Champion; his performance earning him Knockout of the Night Honors with a $60,000 bonus for the second time in as many fights. This victory continued his undefeated streak in his MMA career and was also Evans' first career loss.
Machida was set to face Quinton Jackson in his first title defense, but Jackson opted to coach the tenth season of The Ultimate Fighter instead and then face fellow coach Rashad Evans. Pride Fighting Championship's 2005 Middleweight Grand Prix winner Mauricio "Shogun" Rua was then selected as Machida's first title defense which took place on October 24, 2009 at UFC 104, with Machida winning a unanimous decision victory, 48-47 from all three judges, with one stating that Machida "landed the more damaging strikes throughout the fight" and was the more "effective aggressor".
Machida vs Rua controversy
The decision resulted in controversy, with many members of the audience reacting negatively. UFC president Dana White, Lorenzo Fertitta, Rickson Gracie, Royce Gracie, Rashad Evans, Wanderlei Silva, Vitor Belfort Rampage Jackson, Randy Couture, Thiago Silva, Jon Jones,Antonio Silva and Frank Trigg stated they felt that Rua won the fight. Writers for a number of sports websites/magazines also claimed they felt Rua had won.
Out of the three judges, Hamilton gave Machida Rounds 2, 3 and 4. Peoples and Rosales each gave Machida the first three rounds. One of the judges (Nelson Hamilton) later commented in a post-fight interview that his line of sight was obstructed for much of the action in Round 4, and that after reviewing footage of the round, he likely would have scored the round to Rua. However, since the verdict was unanimous, retroactively changing the score for this judge would still have resulted in a 2-1 split decision in favor of Machida. Hamilton also commented that he felt the commentary had led many fans to believe Shogun had won the fight decisively, when it was a very close, technical and difficult fight to score for all three judges.
There were many in attendance who supported the decision when interviewed afterwards. Among them were other notable MMA fighters, including Minotauro Nogueira, Anderson Silva, Junior dos Santos, André Pederneiras and Rafael Feijão, all of whom are training partners with Machida.
A Fightmetric analysis of the fight suggested that Rua had been more aggressive and had landed more blows to the head and legs than Machida, while CompuStrike reported that Rua landed almost twice as many strikes as Machida did. Both Fightmetric and Compustrike explicitly state on their websites that they are not intended to be used to judge MMA events, with CompuStrike stating "The CompuStrike program is in no way, shape, or form designed to judge a MMA event." .
On the 8th of May at UFC 113 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Lyoto and Shogun Rua faced each other again, 7 months after their original fight. Lyoto was defeated in the first round by knockout making Shogun Rua the new Light Heavyweight Champion. It was Machida's first professional loss. He is going to go for Surgery for a Stress fracture under his Eye in he which he received durning the fight, keeping him out of action at least up till August.
Fighting style
Machida uses a unique, unorthodox style in MMA that combines elements from his diverse training background to make it as suitable for the sport as possible. Machida has received both praise and criticism for back-peddling in his fights while winning on points. It is based mainly on shotokan karate and brazilian jiu jitsu, but also integrates techniques from Wrestling and Sumo which Machida says makes him "fully prepared for any situation" in the Octagon. Often described as "elusive," Machida relies on cautious and precise counter-striking that frustrates his opponents into making mistakes. Machida has earned considerable respect from MMA fans, fighters, and commentators for his effectiveness and winning ways. At the same time, his cerebral and conservative style is sometimes deemed boring and unsatisfying to watch. Machida has drawn fire from fans, and criticism from MMA commentators for his limited aggression and many decision victories. In response to these criticisms, Machida said, "If you don't like it, sorry. I always try to win." He also stated that he believes fans are coming to appreciate the efficiency of his style just like they came to appreciate Royce Gracie's jiu-jitsu.
Machida defied expectations at UFC 94, where he earned a "Knockout of the Night" honor for his first-round stoppage of then undefeated Thiago Silva. Machida noted that he started to include weight training in his preparation for the bout. Commentators hailed the knockout as a step in the right direction toward building interest in him as a potential champion. In addition, Machida showcased his improved English skills during interviews for the event, which gave him the ability to connect with fans more easily. Machida's limited English was previously seen as a marketing liability. After knocking out Rashad Evans at UFC 98, In the post fight in-ring interview with Joe Rogan, Machida announced to his fans, "Karate is back! Machida Karate!" Many fans referred to his style as "Machida Karate" since then.
In the November issue of the MMA Unltd magazine, Machida once again mentioned the phrase "Machida Karate", claiming that it was based on a very traditional form which is very different from modern sports karate. He also said that the Karate we see nowadays has lost many techniques over the years in which it was practised, and that his style was one of the very few that still kept those techniques. "My style is Machida Karate and it is a very traditional form", he said, "It differs from sports karate which we usually see in Karate schools and competitions as it has many elements which were lost in the style including the use of knees, elbows, takedowns and even some submissions".
Personal life
Machida's wife is named Fabyola. The couple have a son named Taiyo who was born in September 2008. In an interview, Lyoto discussed his practice of urine therapy, which he learned from his father.
Championships and achievements
- Ultimate Fighting Championship
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- UFC Light Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- Knockout of the Night Honors (UFC 94 vs. Thiago Silva, UFC 98 vs. Rashad Evans)
Mixed martial arts record
| Professional record breakdown | ||
| 17 matches | 16 wins | 1 loss |
| By knockout | 5 | 1 |
| By submission | 2 | 0 |
| By decision | 9 | 0 |
| No contests | 0 | |
| Result | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 16-1 | Mauricio Rua |
KO (Punches) | UFC 113: Machida vs. Shogun 2 | 02010-05-08 May 8, 2010 | 1 | 3:35 |  Montreal, Quebec |
Lost UFC Light Heavyweight Championship |
| Win | 16–0 | Mauricio Rua |
Decision (Unanimous) | UFC 104: Machida vs. Shogun | 02009-10-24 October 24, 2009 | 5 | 5:00 |  Los Angeles, California |
Defended UFC Light Heavyweight Championship |
| Win | 15–0 | Rashad Evans |
KO (Punches) | UFC 98: Evans vs. Machida | 02009-05-23 May 23, 2009 | 2 | 3:57 | Las Vegas, Nevada |
Won UFC Light Heavyweight Championship. Knockout of the Night. |
| Win | 14–0 | Thiago Silva |
KO (Punch) | UFC 94: St-Pierre vs. Penn 2 | 02009-01-31 January 31, 2009 | 1 | 4:59 | Las Vegas, Nevada |
Knockout of the Night. |
| Win | 13–0 | Tito Ortiz |
Decision (Unanimous) | UFC 84: Ill Will | 02008-05-24 May 24, 2008 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada |
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| Win | 12–0 |  Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou |
Submission (Arm Triangle Choke) | UFC 79: Nemesis | 02007-12-29 December 29, 2007 | 2 | 4:20 | Las Vegas, Nevada |
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| Win | 11–0 |  Kazuhiro Nakamura |
Decision (Unanimous) | UFC 76: Knockout | 02007-09-22 September 22, 2007 | 3 | 5:00 | Anaheim, California |
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| Win | 10–0 | David Heath |
Decision (Unanimous) | UFC 70: Nations Collide | 02007-04-21 April 21, 2007 | 3 | 5:00 |  Manchester, England |
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| Win | 9–0 | Sam Hoger |
Decision (Unanimous) | UFC 67: All or Nothing | 02007-02-03 February 3, 2007 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada |
UFC debut |
| Win | 8–0 | Vernon White |
Decision (Unanimous) | WFA: King of the Streets | 02006-07-22 July 22, 2006 | 3 | 5:00 | Los Angeles, California |
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| Win | 7–0 | Dimitri Wanderley |
TKO (Exhaustion) | Jungle Fight 6 | 02006-04-29 April 29, 2006 | 3 | 3:24 | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
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| Win | 6–0 | B.J. Penn |
Decision (Unanimous) | K-1 Hero's 1 | 02005-03-26 March 26, 2005 | 3 | 5:00 | Saitama, Japan |
Machida fought at a weight of 102.0 kg (225 lb). Penn weighed in at 86.5 kg (191 lb). |
| Win | 5–0 |  Sam Greco |
Decision (Split) | K-1 MMA ROMANEX | 02004-05-22 May 22, 2004 | 3 | 5:00 | Saitama, Japan |
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| Win | 4–0 | Michael McDonald |
Submission (Forearm Choke) | K-1 Beast 2004 in Niigata | 02004-03-14 March 14, 2004 | 1 | 2:30 | Saitama, Japan |
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| Win | 3–0 | Rich Franklin |
TKO (Head Kick and Punches) | Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2003-Inoki Festival | 02003-12-31 December 31, 2003 | 2 | 1:03 | Kobe, Japan |
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| Win | 2–0 | Stephan Bonnar |
TKO (Cut) | Jungle Fight 1 | 02003-09-13 September 13, 2003 | 1 | 4:21 | Manaus, Brazil |
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| Win | 1–0 | Kengo Watanabe |
Decision (Unanimous) | NJPW: Ultimate Crush | 02003-05-02 May 2, 2003 | 3 | 5:00 | Tokyo, Japan |
External links
- Lyoto Machida Official website
- Professional MMA record for Lyoto Machida from Sherdog
- Machida Facts and Training Routine
| Preceded by Rashad Evans |
10th UFC Light Heavyweight Champion May 23, 2009 - May 08, 2010 |
Succeeded by Mauricio Rua |
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