Lyoto Machida Bellator Bound – Former UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida (24-8) has become the latest veteran fighter to migrate over to rival Bellator. The 40 year old Machida has been competing in the middleweight division and he is leaving the UFC on a two fight winning streak. We recently saw him compete as he defeated fellow Brazilian Vitor Belfort at the UFC 224 event held in Rio on May 12th.
As far as the UFC is concerned, the important stat for Machida is that he is 40 years old. The bottom line here is that “The Dragon” is years removed from being in the title picture in any weight class, so they really don’t care. Prior to his two fight win streak in 2018, he had dropped 4 of 5, including losses to Luke Rockhold, Chris Weidman and Yoel Romero so the UFC amply proved Machida is not a contender anymore. Romero is also 40 years old but he is still contending and fighting at the highest level. Machida is beyond his prime and everyone including Machida knows that by now.
That does not deter Scott Coker and Bellator, who adds Machida to the likes of Roy Nelson, Quinton Jackson, Tito Ortiz and Frank Mir on Bellator’s geriatric circuit.
Lyoto Machida Bellator Bound
You cannot blame Machida for making the jump. MMA is a short career and Machida has exceled at the highest level when he was in his prime. Extending your career by a few paychecks is something most fighters are going to try to do and doing it with a stable of comparable talent under nostalgic matchmaking is a nice place to be. When you hear that Bellator is looking to shell out $300k to Quinton Jackson for a 4th fight with Wanderlei Silva with an additional $300k bonus to win and fighting in the “B” league does not look so bad.
What faces Machida in Bellator? Assuming that he comes in as a middleweight, Bellator lists the likes of Royce Gracie, Melvin Manhoef, Rafael Lovato Jr and Leo Leite. The Bellator title at 185 is in the hands of Gegard Mousasi, another UFC exile. Mousasi took the belt from Brazilian Rafael Carvalho, a homegrown Bellator product.
If Lyoto moves back up to light heavyweight, the belt there is in the hands of former UFC contender Ryan Bader. Bader is currently competing as a heavyweight as he is still part of the Bellator Grand Prix, but Lyoto sees other former UFC talent in the weight class as Phil Davis and Alessio Sakara are both there.
Machida is likely to focus his run in the middleweight division. Back in February of 2014 Machida won a five round unanimous deicsion over Gegard Mousasi, who currently holds the Bellator strap in the weight class. Look for that rematch to materialize soon under the Bellator flag.
Machida is 40, but he is a talented and technical fighter who has a unique, karate based striking style that can be appealing. Yes, Machida has provided a couple of “stinker” matches but against the talent on the current Bellator roster he is likely to produce.
Machida has some name recognition and since Bellator largely relies on free-TV showings, his name value means people will tune in.
Lyoto Machida Bellator Bound / Into boxing as well? Check out more boxing news and features at The Sweet Science.
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