Lyoto Machida might have some extra motivation for his upcoming showdown against Gegard Mousasi.
Machida, the former UFC light heavyweight champion, could possibly earn a middleweight title shot if he defeats Mousasi at UFC Fight Night 36 on Feb. 15 in Jaragua do Sul, Brazil.
“If Lyoto Machida wins, he could be in line next for a title shot,” UFC president Dana White said on FOX Sports Live on Wednesday night.
UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman will put his belt on the line against Vitor Belfort at UFC 173 on May 24. White couldn’t be happier with how the middleweight division is shaping up right now.
“The thing that makes this 185-pound division so interesting and so exciting right now. Obviously, Chris Weidman looked unbelievable in his two fights against Anderson Silva and the new champ,” White said. “But who do we got waiting in the wings now? You’ve got Vitor Belfort next, you have Jacare Souza, you have Lyoto Machida and the list goes on and on of all these nasty, nasty guys at 185 pounds. And let’s not forget Anderson Silva could be back in a year and he’s the No. 1 ranked [contender] in the world. That division could not be more exciting.”
Watch Dana White’s full interview below.