Jon Jones may be the “Fighter of the Year” and the youngest champion in UFC history, but even with all of those accolades, former light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida is still not impressed.
Since suffering back-to-back losses to Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Machida’s stock has tumbled quite a bit.
People tend to forget that a little over a year ago, Machida was considered one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world. He boasted the same mysterious aura Jones possesses now.
“Jon’s rise doesn’t impress me. I had my moment in the UFC too,” Machida said in the video preview for UFC 140.
Sporting an unblemished record, fighters and coaches worked day and night in attempting to formulate a game plan to counter Machida’s unique and elusive karate-based style.
Due to Machida’s success, karate, an often frowned upon art in MMA, was given new light as a multitude of dojos began popping up all over the globe.
“Lyoto Machida presents a lot of unique problems to anyone he faces,” said UFC commentator Joe Rogan. “His footwork and his ability to move in and out almost like a fencer is really like no one else possesses in the entire division.”
At UFC 140, Machida will receive an opportunity to once again reign over the light heavyweight division as UFC champion, but he’ll have to get through the seemingly unstoppable Jones, who is coming off back-to-back wins over MMA legends Jackson and Rua.
“When I lost the belt, it was difficult for me, but I learned a lot,” said Machida. “Now, I feel more prepared to fight for the belt. I’ve learned to work better under pressure.”
There will be plenty of pressure on December 10 when Machida steps into the cage with Jones. Stylistically, Machida presents a lot of interesting problems for the young champion, but it will be an uphill battle for the elusive Brazilian.
Jones exudes a quality of greatness that is rarely seen in any sport. Can Machida overcome one of the fastest rising stars in MMA history?
“I want to feel it again, that belt around my waist,” Machida said.
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