After more than two years away from the Octagon, former UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida returns to combat sports in a middleweight pairing that pits the Brazilian karateka against 185-pound bruiser Derek Brunson.
They’ll do the deed at the upcoming UFC Fight Night 119 mixed martial arts (MMA) on FOX Sports 1, taking place this Saturday night (Oct. 28, 2017) inside Ibirapuera Gymnasium in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
“My last victory was here in Sao Paulo,” Machida said. “I think this is a special moment for me. It’s unique. I’m coming back in Brazil, in a big event at Ibirapuera Gymnasium. This comeback has to be a spectacular comeback. I only need one shot to finish this fight.”
Or be finished.
Machida (22-7) has been out of action since United States Ant-Doping Agency (USADA) suspended “The Dragon” for 18 months for listing 7-Keto (which contains the prohibited substance DHEA) on his pre-fight declaration at UFC on FOX 18.
“The Dragon” is coming off back-to-back losses to Luke Rockhold and Yoel Romero.
Brunson (17-5) recently snapped a two-fight losing streak of his own, while erasing this bad memory, by knocking out Daniel Kelly at UFC Fight Night 110 last June, good enough to leave him at No. 7 in the official rankings.
Will Machida make his spectacular comeback, or go down in spectacular fashion?
We’ll find out soon enough.