The Machida Chronicles – Part III – Destiny

Cage Fighter Branded Fight Shorts - White/Black Related Products Warrior Canada T-Shirt Warrior Skull Stack T - Shirt Warrior Fighting T - Shirt TapouT Signature Tee-Sherk T-shirt Related News Official UFC 106 Weigh-In Results Tito Ortiz’ New Beginning Forrest Griffin – The Quest to Get That Winning Feeling Back Parisyan is out of UFC 106; Bout with Hazelett Off ‘Kos’ and Effect Headlines Official UFC 106 Weigh-In Results Tito Ortiz’ New Beginning Forrest Griffin – The Quest to Get That Winning Feeling Back UFC 106: Fantasy Preview Parisyan is out of UFC 106; Bout with Hazelett Off

By Thomas Gerbasi

Fight week. For some fighters, the days leading up to their Saturday battle can be the worst part of their entire routine as pro athletes. Weight cutting, nerves, media obligations, waiting. One, some, or all of these can tear at their psyches, making them pray for the moment when the Octagon door closes and the bell rings.

If you’re facing a former UFC light heavyweight champion like Tito Ortiz, the tension can get amped up even more. Love him or hate him, the man has made his bones in mixed martial arts, and if he has taken you down and is raining elbows down on your head, there is probably no worse place to be.

Lyoto Machida doesn’t blink though. He doesn’t show his emotions on his face or let you know what he may be thinking about Saturday’s bout with ‘The Huntington Beach Bad Boy’. Despite his previous wins over the likes of BJ Penn, Rich Franklin, Stephan Bonnar, and Sokoudjou, this fight will likely be the one to define his career. Win it, and he will move closer to a shot at the light heavyweight title held by Quinton Jackson. Lose, and he may have damaged his chances of getting to the championship anytime soon.

With such high stakes, one would be well advised to fight this fight like it’s his last. That’s precisely the point, says Machida.

“My thoughts don’t change because it’s Tito Ortiz,” he said. “I always train thinking it’s going to be my last fight. That’s why I train hard.”

It’s why, in addition to his usual routines back in Brazil, he has enhanced his training with some early work at the American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, California, where he spent plenty of time working with Cain Velasquez, the two-time All-American wrestler and current UFC heavyweight prospect. For Machida, each fight requires not only reinforcement of fundamentals, but opponent-specific training and strategy. So as far as he’s concerned, he trains not only as if it’s his last fight, but as if it’s his first. In other words, his 12-0 record means nothing when the bell rings.

“If I think about invincibility I demand too much of myself, that’s why I don’t think about it much,” said Machida when asked about his perfect MMA slate. “I train for, and think about the fight that’s about to come, not on the ones that have passed.”

That goes both ways as well, so don’t expect Machida to be intimidated by Ortiz’ resume, which includes an organization record five 205-pound title defenses and wins over the likes of Wanderlei Silva, Vitor Belfort, Ken Shamrock (three times), Vladimir Matyushenko, Evan Tanner, and Forrest Griffin.

“Tito is a good fighter,” admits Machida. “He’s made his history through his fights. Now I believe it’s time for other fighters to make history and I want to make my own.”

If he beats Ortiz, he will be on the short list of those in line for a shot at ‘Rampage,’ which ultimately is the goal for the 29-year old from Belem.

“I respect Quinton, but I want the belt that he has today,” said Machida, whose unorthodox style would give fits to any of the top light heavyweights in the game today, including Jackson and Ortiz. He humbly deflects such praise though.

“My style is not the best,” he said. “It’s just different and difficult.”

And it’s made him a favorite among aficionados of the finer points of the game, while he’s kryptonite to those who may have to face him in the Octagon. He doesn’t necessarily agree though.

“I don’t believe there are fighters who don’t want to fight me because of my game,” he said. “Everyone is a professional. If there really are fighters who are afraid of fighting me, I think it’s funny, but I’m not vain about it.”

With no trash talk in his vocabulary and no beating of his chest to tell the world he’s the best, that’s no surprise. It’s the way he’s been raised and the way he will teach his son some day.

“My son needs to know that nothing in life comes easy,” he said. “Everything takes a lot of sacrifice, and discipline, especially if you want to be a fighter.”

That’s what it all boils down to for Lyoto Machida. He lives the life of a samurai, the life of an athlete, the life of a father, son, husband, and brother. All of those elements have combined to make him who he is today, but ask him what he was born to be, and there is no hesitation in his response.

“I was born to be a fighter, and to challenge myself,” he said. “I was born to be a champion.”

To read Part One of The Machida Chronicles, click here
To read Part Two of The Machida Chronicles, click here

Share |