UFC president Dana White recently spoke about his relationship with former UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida, who declined a chance to replace an injured Phil Davis at UFC 133 in August.
“There is just nobody for Machida to fight right now,” said White. “Everybody thinks I hate Machida now because of that whole Anderson Silva money thing, but with the position Machida is in right now, is like what happened with Rashad. Rashad turned down a fight and said ‘I’m going to wait for Shogun,’ right? Wait for this guy who blew his knee out to get better, and then people start getting hurt left and right and now he’s out almost a year and a half.”
The light-heavyweight division is currently being dominated by it’s champion, Jon Jones, who defeated Quinton “Rampage” Jackson at UFC 135. Without a line of contenders outside of Evans, Machida has been forced to sit out and wait for the next up-and-coming challenger, which may come in the form of former NCAA Division I wrestler Phil Davis.
“I don’t hate Machida,” White continued. “Things happen, we butt heads all the time with different guys and stupid stuff is said by them or me and everything else, but I don’t hate anybody. I definitely don’t hate Machida. He’s a nice guy.”
Machida is currently coming off his victory over UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture in UFC 129. He knocked out the former heavyweight and light heavyweight champion with a highlight reel front kick. His return may come by the end of 2011 or in early 2012.
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