Lyoto Machida is ready to put the past behind him as he focus on a new title run that could begin with a win over veteran Dan Henderson on April 16.
Lyoto Machida only has his eyes on the future. Scheduled for a rematch against veteran Dan Henderson, “The Dragon” believes a win over “Hendo” could be the first step to get back to the top of the UFC, as he feels he still has enough left in him to belong among the best.
“I won’t cling to the past. That’s done, it’s over. ” He told Sportv. ” I try to learn from my losses, see how they can help me in the future. Learning is constant, I learn something new everyday. Every fight has taught me something. Sometimes we forget what we did in the past, the sacrifices we had to make for each fight. It’s important to go through that again. I have to get back to my roots and train harder. If you feel unwell or kind of clunky, you need to go back where you came from. I’m going through everything that I need to do in order to become a champion again”.
At 37, Machida doesn’t feel he has fallen behind in the sport and claims he is still in the mix for a title shot in the middleweight division.
“I believe I’m in the mix. The numbers never lie. I have great wins. I’m in the mix for a title shot very soon. I think the sport has evolved a lot and I have been evolving, too, despite my losses. You have to see that as a part of your evolution so you can improve. There’s always room for improvement. You have to reinvent yourself. “
Lyoto Machida will take on Dan Henderson at UFC on Fox 19, in Tampa, Florida, on April 16. The card will also feature a clash of former light heavyweight champions Mauricio Rua and Rashad Evans and a possible title eliminator bout for the lightweight division between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson.