Lyoto Machida Releases Statement On Bellator MMA Signing

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida has finally parted ways with the UFC after over 10 years of hard-working service.

In a surprise move, “The Dragon” announced he had signed with rival promotion Bellator on Friday to the confusion of MMA fans. Machida is coming off of a career-reviving knockout over fellow Brazilian MMA legend Vitor Belfort at UFC 224, and seemed poised to re-sign with the UFC after fighting out his most recent contract.

Machida took to social media after the news broke to provide fight fans with some explanation for the move:

“Hello everyone, I’m here to announce a great change in my career. My contract with UFC has finished, and I’m going to a new house: Bellator, which is a great MMA event that has been growing a lot here in the United States. I’m very grateful for everything that happened with me in the UFC.

“I’m very happy with everything I lived. I believe that everything in our lives is made of periods. All that comes is great and all that goes is also great. We have to be open to new changes, new challenges. This is how I think. My best regards to all of you, and I wish you keep on supporting me, because everytime I fight and everytime I practice, I do my best for all of you.”

Olá pessoal, estou aqui para anunciar uma grande mudança na minha carreira profissional. Meu contrato com UFC encerrou e eu estou indo para uma nova casa: para o Bellator, que é um grande evento do MMA e que tem crescido muito aqui nos Estados Unidos. Sou muito grato por tudo o que aconteceu comigo no UFC, sou muito feliz por tudo que eu vivi ali. Eu acredito que tudo na nossa vida são ciclos. Tudo que vem é muito legal e tudo o que vai também é legal. Temos que estar abertos a novas mudanças, novos desafios. E essa é minha mentalidade! Um grande abraço a todos vocês, quero que vocês continuem me acompanhando, porque sempre que eu participo das lutas, sempre que eu estou em treinamento eu estou dando sempre o meu melhor e é para vocês Hello everyone, I'm here to announce a great change in my career. My contract with UFC has finished, and I'm going to a new house: Bellator, which is a great MMA event that has been growing a lot here in the United States. I'm very grateful for everything that happened with me in the UFC. I'm very happy with everything I lived. I believe that everything in our lives is made of periods. All that comes is great and all that goes is also great. We have to be open to new changes, new challenges. This is how I think. My best regards to all of you, and I wish you keep on supporting me, because everytime I fight and everytime I practice, I do my best for all of you. @bellatormma #bellatormma

A post shared by Lyoto Machida (@lyotomachidafw) on Jun 22, 2018 at 4:49pm PDT

“The Dragon” captured UFC gold after knocking out former light heavyweight champ Rashad Evans back at UFC 98 and eventually moved down to middleweight where he fell short in his pursuit of the title.

Now at 40 years old, Machida joins a promotion where he holds a knockout victory over their light heavyweight champion and a dominant decision victory over the middleweight champ.

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