“I want to show to the world that I’m back.” — Lyoto Machida
Lyoto Machida is opting to use less mixed in his martial arts.
That’s because the former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) light heavyweight champion believes a return to his karate roots is the answer to his three-fight losing streak, one in which he was brutally finished all three times.
Though he expects a little help from opponent Eryk Anders, who will attempt to slay “The Dragon” in the UFC Fight Night 125 main event, which takes place this Sat. night (Feb. 3, 2018) inside Mangueirinho Gymnasium in Belem, Brazil.
“Karate represents to me everything,” Machida said. “This fight, I want to go back to my roots and focus on karate more than anything. Karate style can be very tricky for all my opponents. Eryk Anders is a very aggressive fighter, he likes to come all the time. That matches my style.”
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
Machida (22-8) recently returned from a lengthy drug-test suspension at UFC Fight Night 119, where he was promptly knocked out by division bruiser Derek Brunson. The 39 year-old “Dragon” is in danger of losing his spot on the roster if he’s unable to perform on fight night.
As for Anders (10-0), he’s remained perfect in 10 trips to the cage. That includes last December’s unanimous decision win over the rough-and-tumble Markus Perez at UFC Fight Night 123 in Fresno, Calif., where “Ya’ Boi” proceeded to call out Machida and elevate his name to the top of the middleweight pecking order.
Early predictions?
To see who else is fighting at UFC Fight Night 125 in Belem click here.