Lyoto Machida
Encyclopedia
Lyoto Carvalho Machida is a Japanese-Brazilian mixed martial artist
from Belém, Brazil who fights as a light heavyweight
in the Ultimate Fighting Championship
. He is a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion and is currently ranked as the #5 light heavyweight fighter in the world by Sherdog
, MMAWeekly and Yahoo! Sports
.
as the third son of the highly ranked head of the Brazilian branch of the Japan Karate Association, Shotokan karate master Yoshizo Machida. Yoshizo moved to Brazil from Japan when he was 22 years old. There he met and married Lyoto's mother, Ana Claudia. Growing up in Belém
, Lyoto began training in karate at the age of three and earned his black belt
at the age of thirteen.
He also began training in sumo
at twelve and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
at fifteen. He won a number of amateur karate tournaments, including the 2001 Pan American Karate tournament.
He was the runner-up in the 2000 Brazilian Sumo Championships in the 115 kg division. As an adult, he became Brazilian Champion twice under Taylor Swanson, and placed second in the South American Championship. He defeated American black belt Jiu-Jitsu fighter Rafael Lovato Jr. at L.A. Sub X. In addition to his sumo and karate achievements, he has a college degree in Physical Education. Lyoto's brother, Chinzô, is a Shotokan vice-champion (Australia 2006), losing only to number-one ranked Shotokan master Koji Ogata. Lyoto and Chinzô fought in a Karate Final 10 years ago in which Lyoto gave Chinzô a cheek scar that still exists today. His other brothers include Kenzo Machida, a TV journalist for one of Brazil's biggest TV stations, Take Machida and adopted brother Francisco Machida.
under the management of legendary pro wrestler and MMA pioneer Antonio Inoki
in Japan. On May 2, 2003, he defeated Kengo Watanabe by decision in his professional debut on a card promoted by New Japan Pro Wrestling
in Tokyo
. In his second fight, he defeated Stephan Bonnar
by technical knockout due to a cut in the inauagral event promoted by Jungle Fight in Manaus
, Brazil.
On December 31, 2003, he took part in Inoki's annual event Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2003
, where he met Rich Franklin
in an openweight
bout in which both men weighed at 214lbs. In front of over 40,00 fans at Kobe Wing Stadium
in Kobe
, Machida defeated Franklin via TKO in the second round. He rocked Franklin with a front kick
to the face before following up with punches which forced the referee to stop the fight at 1:03 into the round.
Following this, Machida went on to compete for the K-1
promotion. At the K-1 Beast 2004 in Niigata event on March 14, 2004, he defeated Michael McDonald
, a Canadian kickboxer
making his MMA debut, with a forearm choke in the first round. On May 22, 2004 at K-1 MMA ROMANEX at the Saitama Super Arena
, he beat fellow karateka Sam Greco
by unanimous decision. Despite both fighters' striking backgrounds, the match was mostly fought on the mat with Machida controlling the grapplng. When K-1 began promoting Hero's
, a series of fight cards featuring only MMA bouts rather than cards mixed with kickboxing matches, Machida was transferred there. He took on former UFC Welterweight Champion B.J. Penn on March 26, 2005 in Saitama
at Hero's 1 in an openweght fight. Machida weighed in at 102 kg (224.9 lb) while Penn weighed in at 86.5 kg (190.7 lb). Machida won by unanimous decision.
against Sam Hoger
and won by unanimous decision. He followed up with a main-card debut at UFC 70
and won a unanimous decision against David Heath
. He next faced judo
practitioner and Pride Fighting Championship veteran Kazuhiro Nakamura
at UFC 76
. Machida won by unanimous decision and Nakamura would later ive for ma
At UFC 79
, Machida faced the highly touted Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou
, a judo practitioner who was UFC debut after two quick upset victories over Pride veterans Antonio Rogerio Nogueira
and Ricardo Arona
. He scored the first stoppage of his UFC career by submitting Sokoudjou with an arm triangle choke
in the second round.
Machida's next fight was at UFC 84
, facing former UFC light-heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz in what would be Ortiz's final UFC appearance before a long-standing dispute with Dana White
led to Ortiz being out of a UFC contract for over a year. Machida frustrated Ortiz with lateral movement and counterstriking while successfully defending against the former champion's takedowns. In the closing minute of the third round Machida knocked Ortiz down with a knee to the body. As Machida moved in to finish the fight, Ortiz almost locked in a triangle choke before transitioning to an armbar attempt. Machida managed to escape and win a unanimous decision, and all judges scored the fight 30–27 in his favor.
. Machida scored an early knockdown in the first-round, while Evans struggled to make any progress. In the second-round, Evans experienced a flurry of accurate punches by Machida rendering him unconscious before hitting the canvas. Machida was subsequently crowned the new UFC Light Heavyweight Champion; his performance earning him Knockout of the Night Honors with a $60,000 bonus for the second time in as many fights. This victory continued his undefeated streak in his MMA career and was also Evans' first career loss.
Machida was set to face Quinton Jackson
in his first title defense, but Jackson opted to coach the tenth season of The Ultimate Fighter
instead and then face fellow coach Rashad Evans. Pride Fighting Championship's 2005 Middleweight Grand Prix winner Mauricio "Shogun" Rua was then selected as Machida's first title defense which took place on October 24, 2009, at UFC 104
, with Machida winning a unanimous decision victory, 48–47 from all three judges, with one stating that Machida "landed the more damaging strikes throughout the fight" and was the more "effective aggressor".
There were also MMA fighters in attendance who, after the bout, voiced support for the decision. Among them were several of Machida's training partners, including Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira
, Anderson Silva
, Junior dos Santos
, Jose Aldo
and Rafael Cavalcante
.
A Fightmetric analysis of the fight suggested that Rua had been more aggressive and had landed more blows to the head and legs than Machida, while CompuStrike reported that Rua landed almost twice as many strikes as Machida did. Both Fightmetric and CompuStrike explicitly state on their websites that they are not intended to be used to judge MMA events, and are merely a way to track a fighter's activity.
Because of the controversy surrounding the close decision, on May 8, 2010, at UFC 113
in Montreal
, Quebec, Canada, Machida and Mauricio Rua faced each other again, seven months after their original fight. It was a very much anticipated rematch. Both fighters started aggressively and scored significant points in striking exchanges, with Machida scoring two takedowns during the round. Rua showed strong defense on the ground, spinning to attempt a knee bar before both fighters returned to their feet. At 3:30 of round 1, Rua swayed to avoid a hook left and landed a powerful counter overhand right to the temple, which knocked Machida down. Rua then took the full mount and proceeded to finish with ground-and-pound knocking Machida out, making him the new Light Heavyweight Champion at 3:35 in round 1, with Machida suffering his first career MMA loss.
at UFC 123
. The decision in this fight ultimately came down to the scoring of the first round, as there is near-unanimous agreement that Rampage narrowly won the second round while Machida decisively won the third, and most dominant round of the fight.
During the first round Machida landed several leg kicks and some counter punches while Rampage predominantly landed from the clinch, utilizing stomps and punches to Machida's side. Both Compustrike and Fightmetric records show that Rampage out-struck Machida when counting small blows such as stomps and elbows to the thigh in the clinch, while Machida landing more significant strikes during the standup exchanges. Because of Rampage out-striking Machida with small attacks, while Machida landed a lot more significant strikes, there is another near-unanimous agreement that the first round was a draw. In the second round, Compustrike and Fightmetric records again show Rampage as the busier overall fighter, and Rampage also scored a takedown. The cleanest and most significant blow of the second round was also an uppercut landed by Rampage.
In the third round, Machida landed a counter left that stunned Rampage and followed it with a flurry of punches, kicks and knees that backed Quinton into the cage. When Rampage tried to retaliate, Machida scored a takedown, eventually gaining full mount and attempting several submissions.
At the end of the final round, Rampage was declared the winner via split decision (29–28, 29–28, 28–29) in what was considered by many as a controversial decision. Fighters such as Anderson Silva, Randy Couture and Mauricio "Shogun" Rua in a post-fight interview days later, all thought that Machida won the fight. In an interview after the fight, Rampage expressed to Joe Rogan that the fairest thing would be to offer Machida an immediate rematch as he felt he had lost the fight. However, since UFC President Dana White personally felt that Rampage won the fight, he denied the possibility of an immediate rematch. This has generated some controversy, as UFC President White previously awarded an immediate rematch to Mauricio "Shogun" Rua in spite of a unanimous judgment decision awarded to Machida in that fight, as well as the fact that no matter what, the crowd boos a controversial decision, but instead cheered for Rampage Jackson due to his popularity as a fighter.
UFC President Dana White had indicated in January 2011 that Machida was under pressure to perform in his upcoming bout against UFC Hall-of-Famer Randy Couture, saying, "this is a must-win for him.". Machida defeated Randy Couture
at UFC 129
in Toronto via KO with a jumping front kick
that earned Knockout of the Night honors.
Dana White has commented that Machida's performance versus Randy Couture put him back into the mix at the top of the division, but stated that he is not yet the next in line for a title shot. Machida was briefly linked to a rematch with Rashad Evans
at UFC 133
, replacing an injured Phil Davis
. However, Dana White claimed that Lyoto Machida wanted "Anderson Silva Money" and the UFC scheduled Tito Ortiz for the fight with Evans.
Machida was in talks to face Phil Davis
at UFC 140
but the fight is no longer happening due to Davis needing more time to recover from knee surgery. Machida is slated to face Jon Jones
on December 10, 2011 at UFC 140
for the UFC light heavyweight title, replacing an injured Rashad Evans.
and Sumo
, which Machida says makes him "fully prepared for any situation" in the Octagon. Often described as "elusive", Machida relies on cautious and precise counter-striking that frustrates his opponents into making mistakes. Machida has earned considerable respect from MMA fans, fighters, and commentators for his effectiveness and winning ways. At the same time, his cerebral and conservative style is sometimes deemed boring and unsatisfying to watch. Machida has drawn fire from fans, and criticism from MMA commentators for his limited aggression and many decision victories. In response to these criticisms, Machida said, "If you don't like it, sorry. I always try to win." He also stated that he believes fans are coming to appreciate the efficiency of his style just like they came to appreciate Royce Gracie
's jiu-jitsu.
Machida defied expectations at UFC 94
, where he earned a "Knockout of the Night" honor for his first-round stoppage of then undefeated Thiago Silva. Machida noted that he started to include weight training in his preparation for the bout. Commentators hailed the knockout as a step in the right direction toward building interest in him as a potential champion. In addition, Machida showcased his improved English skills during interviews for the event, which gave him the ability to connect with fans more easily. Machida's limited English was previously seen as a marketing liability. After knocking out Rashad Evans at UFC 98
, in the post fight in-ring interview with Joe Rogan
, Machida announced to his fans, "Karate
is back! Machida Karate!" Many fans have referred to his style as "Machida Karate" since then.
In the November issue of the MMA Unltd magazine, Machida once again mentioned the phrase "Machida Karate", claiming that it was based on a very traditional form which is very different from modern sports karate. He also said that the Karate we see nowadays has lost many techniques over the years in which it was practiced, and that his style was one of the very few that still kept those techniques. "My style is Machida Karate and it is a very traditional form", he said, "It differs from sports karate which we usually see in Karate schools and competitions as it has many elements which were lost in the style including the use of knees, elbows, takedowns and even some submissions". Lyoto is a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Walter Broca.
Martial arts
Mixed martial arts
|align=center| 17–2
| Randy Couture
| KO (jumping front kick)
| UFC 129
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 1:05
| Toronto, Ontario, Canada
|
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 16–2
| Quinton Jackson
| Decision (Split)
| UFC 123
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
| Auburn Hills, Michigan
, United States
|
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 16–1
| Maurício Rua
| KO (punches)
| UFC 113
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 3:35
| Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| .
|-
| Win
|align=center| 16–0
| Maurício Rua
| Decision (unanimous)
| UFC 104
|
|align=center| 5
|align=center| 5:00
| Los Angeles, California
, United States
| .
|-
| Win
|align=center| 15–0
| Rashad Evans
| KO (punches)
| UFC 98
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 3:57
| Las Vegas, Nevada
, United States
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 14–0
| Thiago Silva
| KO (punches)
| UFC 94
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 4:59
| Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
| Knockout of the Night.
|-
| Win
|align=center| 13–0
| Tito Ortiz
| Decision (unanimous)
| UFC 84
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
| Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 12–0
| Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou
| Submission (arm-triangle choke)
| UFC 79
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 4:20
| Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 11–0
| Kazuhiro Nakamura
| Decision (unanimous)
| UFC 76
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
| Anaheim, California
, United States
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 10–0
| David Heath
| Decision (unanimous)
| UFC 70
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
| Manchester
, England
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 9–0
| Sam Hoger
| Decision (unanimous)
| UFC 67
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
| Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 8–0
| Vernon White
| Decision (unanimous)
| WFA: King of the Streets
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
| Los Angeles, California, United States
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 7–0
| Dimitri Wanderley
| TKO (exhaustion)
| Jungle Fight 6
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 3:24
| Manaus
, Brazil
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 6–0
| B.J. Penn
| Decision (unanimous)
| K-1 Hero's 1
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
| Saitama, Saitama
, Japan
| Machida fought at a weight of 102 kg (224.9 lb). Penn weighed in at 86.5 kg (190.7 lb).
|-
| Win
|align=center| 5–0
| Sam Greco
| Decision (split)
| K-1 MMA ROMANEX
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
| Saitama, Saitama, Japan
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 4–0
| Michael McDonald
| Submission (forearm choke)
| K-1 Beast 2004 in Niigata
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 2:30
| Saitama, Saitama, Japan
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 3–0
| Rich Franklin
| TKO (head kick and punches)
| Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2003
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 1:03
| Kobe, Hyogo, Japan
|Both Machida and Franklin fought at a weight of 214 lbs
|-
| Win
|align=center| 2–0
| Stephan Bonnar
| TKO (Cut)
| Jungle Fight 1
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 4:21
| Manaus, Brazil
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 1–0
| Kengo Watanabe
| Decision (unanimous)
| New Japan Pro Wrestling: Ultimate Crush
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
| Tokyo
, Japan
|
Mixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
from Belém, Brazil who fights as a light heavyweight
Light Heavyweight (MMA)
The light heavyweight division in mixed martial arts generally refers to competitors weighing between 186 and 205 lb . It sits between the lighter middleweight division, and the heavyweight division....
in the Ultimate Fighting Championship
Ultimate Fighting Championship
The Ultimate Fighting Championship is the largest mixed martial arts promotion company in the world that hosts most of the top-ranked fighters in the sport...
. He is a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion and is currently ranked as the #5 light heavyweight fighter in the world by Sherdog
Sherdog
Sherdog is an American website devoted to the sport of mixed martial arts . The site is a member of the Crave Online network and provides MMA related content for ESPN.com.- History :...
, MMAWeekly and Yahoo! Sports
Yahoo! Sports
Yahoo! Sports was launched on December 8, 1997. It receives a majority of its information from STATS, Inc., employs various writers, and has team pages for teams in almost every North American sport...
.
Early life
Machida was born in the city of SalvadorSalvador, Bahia
Salvador is the largest city on the northeast coast of Brazil and the capital of the Northeastern Brazilian state of Bahia. Salvador is also known as Brazil's capital of happiness due to its easygoing population and countless popular outdoor parties, including its street carnival. The first...
as the third son of the highly ranked head of the Brazilian branch of the Japan Karate Association, Shotokan karate master Yoshizo Machida. Yoshizo moved to Brazil from Japan when he was 22 years old. There he met and married Lyoto's mother, Ana Claudia. Growing up in Belém
Belém
Belém is a Brazilian city, the capital and largest city of state of Pará, in the country's north region. It is the entrance gate to the Amazon with a busy port, airport and bus/coach station...
, Lyoto began training in karate at the age of three and earned his black belt
Black belt (martial arts)
In martial arts, the black belt is a way to describe a graduate of a field where a practitioner's level is often marked by the color of the belt. The black belt is commonly the highest belt color used and denotes a degree of competence. It is often associated with a teaching grade though...
at the age of thirteen.
He also began training in sumo
Sumo
is a competitive full-contact sport where a wrestler attempts to force another wrestler out of a circular ring or to touch the ground with anything other than the soles of the feet. The sport originated in Japan, the only country where it is practiced professionally...
at twelve and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a martial art, combat sport, and a self defense system that focuses on grappling and especially ground fighting...
at fifteen. He won a number of amateur karate tournaments, including the 2001 Pan American Karate tournament.
He was the runner-up in the 2000 Brazilian Sumo Championships in the 115 kg division. As an adult, he became Brazilian Champion twice under Taylor Swanson, and placed second in the South American Championship. He defeated American black belt Jiu-Jitsu fighter Rafael Lovato Jr. at L.A. Sub X. In addition to his sumo and karate achievements, he has a college degree in Physical Education. Lyoto's brother, Chinzô, is a Shotokan vice-champion (Australia 2006), losing only to number-one ranked Shotokan master Koji Ogata. Lyoto and Chinzô fought in a Karate Final 10 years ago in which Lyoto gave Chinzô a cheek scar that still exists today. His other brothers include Kenzo Machida, a TV journalist for one of Brazil's biggest TV stations, Take Machida and adopted brother Francisco Machida.
Early mixed martial arts career
Machida began his career in mixed martial artsMixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
under the management of legendary pro wrestler and MMA pioneer Antonio Inoki
Antonio Inoki
is a Japanese professional wrestling promoter and retired professional wrestler and mixed martial artist who now resides between New York City and Tokyo. He was also the founder and former owner of New Japan Pro Wrestling before selling his controlling share in the promotion to Yukes...
in Japan. On May 2, 2003, he defeated Kengo Watanabe by decision in his professional debut on a card promoted by New Japan Pro Wrestling
New Japan Pro Wrestling
is a major professional wrestling promotion in Japan, founded by Antonio Inoki in June 1972 and owned by Yuke's since 2005, when Inoki sold the promotion. Naoki Sugabayashi is the current President of the promotion and has held that position from 2007. Owing to its TV program aired on TV Asahi, it...
in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
. In his second fight, he defeated Stephan Bonnar
Stephan Bonnar
Stephan Patrick Bonnar is an American mixed martial artist who currently competes for the Ultimate Fighting Championship...
by technical knockout due to a cut in the inauagral event promoted by Jungle Fight in Manaus
Manaus
Manaus is a city in Brazil, the capital of the state of Amazonas. It is situated at the confluence of the Negro and Solimões rivers. It is the most populous city of Amazonas, according to the statistics of Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, and is a popular ecotourist destination....
, Brazil.
On December 31, 2003, he took part in Inoki's annual event Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2003
Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2003
Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2003: Inoki Festival was a mixed martial arts and kickboxing event promoted by Antonio Inoki on December 31, 2003 at the Kobe Wing Stadium in Kobe, Japan. It was the follow-up to Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2001 and Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2002...
, where he met Rich Franklin
Rich Franklin
Rich Jay Franklin II is an American mixed martial artist and former Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight champion.-Background:...
in an openweight
Openweight
Openweight is an unofficial weight class in combat sports. It refers to bouts where there is no weight limit and fighters with a dramatic difference in size can compete against each other...
bout in which both men weighed at 214lbs. In front of over 40,00 fans at Kobe Wing Stadium
Kobe Wing Stadium
, nicknamed , called Home's Stadium Kobe for the J. League association football events and the rugby football Top League events, is a football stadium in Misaki Park, Hyogo-ku, Kobe, Japan. The stadium's capacity is 30,132. This stadium, which features a retractable roof, is the home ground of J...
in Kobe
Kobe
, pronounced , is the fifth-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture on the southern side of the main island of Honshū, approximately west of Osaka...
, Machida defeated Franklin via TKO in the second round. He rocked Franklin with a front kick
Front kick
The front kick in martial arts is a kick executed by lifting the knee straight forward, while keeping the foot and shin either hanging freely or pulled to the hip, and then straightening the leg in front of the practitioner and striking the target area...
to the face before following up with punches which forced the referee to stop the fight at 1:03 into the round.
Following this, Machida went on to compete for the K-1
K-1
K-1 is a defunct world-wide kickboxing promotion based in Tokyo, Japan founded by Kazuyoshi Ishii, a formerKyokushin karate practitioner. K-1 combines stand up techniques from Muay Thai, Karate, Taekwondo, Savate, San Shou, kickboxing, western-style boxing, and other martial arts...
promotion. At the K-1 Beast 2004 in Niigata event on March 14, 2004, he defeated Michael McDonald
Michael McDonald (kickboxer)
Michael "The Black Sniper" McDonald is a retired Canadian Heavyweight kickboxer. He is the former three time K-1 World Grand Prix in Las Vegas tournament champion.-Early life:Michael McDonald was born in Birmingham, England...
, a Canadian kickboxer
Kickboxing
Kickboxing refers to a group of martial arts and stand-up combat sports based on kicking and punching, historically developed from karate, Muay Thai and western boxing....
making his MMA debut, with a forearm choke in the first round. On May 22, 2004 at K-1 MMA ROMANEX at the Saitama Super Arena
Saitama Super Arena
is a multi-purpose indoor arena located in Chūō-ku, Saitama City, Saitama, Japan. Its spectator capacity is 37,000 at maximum settings.This main arena capacity is between 19,000-22,500 when events such as basketball, volleyball, tennis, ice hockey, gymnastics, boxing, mixed martial arts and...
, he beat fellow karateka Sam Greco
Sam Greco
Sam "Slam 'em" Greco is a retired Australian super heavyweight kickboxer, heavyweight mixed martial artist and professional wrestler of Italian descent, who fought in Kyokushin karate, professional kickboxing, and K-1 tournaments....
by unanimous decision. Despite both fighters' striking backgrounds, the match was mostly fought on the mat with Machida controlling the grapplng. When K-1 began promoting Hero's
HERO'S
Hero's was a Japanese mixed martial arts promotion operated by Fighting and Entertainment Group, the parent entity behind kickboxing organization K-1. Grown from and branched off of K-1's earlier experiments in MMA, including the K-1 Romanex event and various MMA fights on its regular K-1...
, a series of fight cards featuring only MMA bouts rather than cards mixed with kickboxing matches, Machida was transferred there. He took on former UFC Welterweight Champion B.J. Penn on March 26, 2005 in Saitama
Saitama, Saitama
' is the capital and the most populous city of Saitama Prefecture in Japan, situated in the south-east of the prefecture. Its area incorporates the former cities of Urawa, Ōmiya, Yono and Iwatsuki. It is a city designated by government ordinance...
at Hero's 1 in an openweght fight. Machida weighed in at 102 kg (224.9 lb) while Penn weighed in at 86.5 kg (190.7 lb). Machida won by unanimous decision.
UFC Debut
Machida made his UFC debut on the preliminary card of UFC 67UFC 67
UFC 67: All or Nothing was a mixed martial arts event held by Ultimate Fighting Championship. The event was held Saturday, February 3, 2007 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center on the Las Vegas Strip in Nevada...
against Sam Hoger
Sam Hoger
Samuel Earl Hoger is an American mixed martial artist most notable for appearing on the first season of The Ultimate Fighter, a reality television series produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship and broadcast on Spike TV...
and won by unanimous decision. He followed up with a main-card debut at UFC 70
UFC 70
UFC 70: Nations Collide was the second UFC event held in the United Kingdom, and the first in Manchester on Saturday, April 21, 2007. The first UFC event in the UK was UFC 38: Brawl at the Hall on July 13, 2002. UFC 70 was also only the seventh UFC event held outside the United States, and the...
and won a unanimous decision against David Heath
David Heath (fighter)
David Alan Heath is an American mixed martial artist who formerly competed in the light heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, where he made his debut at UFC 62, defeating Cory Walmsley by first-round submission...
. He next faced judo
Judo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
practitioner and Pride Fighting Championship veteran Kazuhiro Nakamura
Kazuhiro Nakamura
Kazuhiro Nakamura is a Japanese mixed martial artist currently competing as a middleweight in DREAM. His primary style is judo, in which he holds a 3rd dan black belt under Hidehiko Yoshida...
at UFC 76
UFC 76
UFC 76: Knockout was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship . The event took place on September 22, 2007 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California...
. Machida won by unanimous decision and Nakamura would later ive for ma
At UFC 79
UFC 79
UFC 79: Nemesis was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship , that took place on December 29, 2007 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.-Background:...
, Machida faced the highly touted Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou
Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou
Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou Nkamhoua , sometimes billed simply as Sokoudjou, is a Cameroonian mixed martial artist and judoka, and the former KSW Light Heavyweight Champion, who came to prominence in Japan's PRIDE Fighting Championships. He has since had mixed success with stints in the UFC, WEC,...
, a judo practitioner who was UFC debut after two quick upset victories over Pride veterans Antonio Rogerio Nogueira
Antonio Rogerio Nogueira
Antônio Rogério Nogueira is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist currently signed with the UFC. He is the twin brother of Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira. A proficient amateur boxer, he was the 2006 and 2007 Brazilian Super Heavyweight Champion. He also won a bronze medal in the 2007 Pan...
and Ricardo Arona
Ricardo Arona
Ricardo Arona is a Brazilian mixed martial artist and PRIDE FC Middleweight Grand Prix finalist. He has competed in PRIDE Fighting Championships and RINGS in his mixed martial arts career, and is a member of Brazilian Top Team.-Abu Dhabi and RINGS:...
. He scored the first stoppage of his UFC career by submitting Sokoudjou with an arm triangle choke
Arm triangle choke
Arm triangle choke, side choke, or head and arm choke are generic terms describing blood chokeholds in which the opponent is strangled in between his or her own shoulder and the practitioner's arm. This is as opposed to the regular triangle choke, which denotes a chokehold using the legs, albeit...
in the second round.
Machida's next fight was at UFC 84
UFC 84
UFC 84: Ill Will was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on May 24, 2008, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.-Overview:...
, facing former UFC light-heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz in what would be Ortiz's final UFC appearance before a long-standing dispute with Dana White
Dana White
Dana White is the current President of the Ultimate Fighting Championship , a mixed martial arts organization based in the United States.- Biography :...
led to Ortiz being out of a UFC contract for over a year. Machida frustrated Ortiz with lateral movement and counterstriking while successfully defending against the former champion's takedowns. In the closing minute of the third round Machida knocked Ortiz down with a knee to the body. As Machida moved in to finish the fight, Ortiz almost locked in a triangle choke before transitioning to an armbar attempt. Machida managed to escape and win a unanimous decision, and all judges scored the fight 30–27 in his favor.
Light Heavyweight Championship
Machida met then light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans in another clash of undefeated fighters at UFC 98UFC 98
UFC 98: Evans vs. Machida was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on May 23, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada.-Background:...
. Machida scored an early knockdown in the first-round, while Evans struggled to make any progress. In the second-round, Evans experienced a flurry of accurate punches by Machida rendering him unconscious before hitting the canvas. Machida was subsequently crowned the new UFC Light Heavyweight Champion; his performance earning him Knockout of the Night Honors with a $60,000 bonus for the second time in as many fights. This victory continued his undefeated streak in his MMA career and was also Evans' first career loss.
Machida was set to face Quinton Jackson
Quinton Jackson
Quinton Ramone Jackson ;, also known as Rampage Jackson, is an American mixed martial artist and actor. He is a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. Jackson rose to prominence in Japan's Pride Fighting Championships where he was noted for his powerful body slams including a knockout victory over...
in his first title defense, but Jackson opted to coach the tenth season of The Ultimate Fighter
The Ultimate Fighter
The Ultimate Fighter is an American reality television series and mixed martial arts competition produced by Spike TV and the Ultimate Fighting Championship , and soon to be shown on FX. The show features unknown, professional MMA fighters living together in Las Vegas, Nevada, and follows them as...
instead and then face fellow coach Rashad Evans. Pride Fighting Championship's 2005 Middleweight Grand Prix winner Mauricio "Shogun" Rua was then selected as Machida's first title defense which took place on October 24, 2009, at UFC 104
UFC 104
UFC 104: Machida vs. Shogun was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on October 24, 2009 in Los Angeles, California.-Background:...
, with Machida winning a unanimous decision victory, 48–47 from all three judges, with one stating that Machida "landed the more damaging strikes throughout the fight" and was the more "effective aggressor".
Machida vs Rua controversy and rematch
Out of the three judges, Hamilton gave Machida Rounds 2, 3 and 4. Peoples and Rosales each gave Machida the first three rounds. One of the judges (Nelson Hamilton) later commented in a post-fight interview that his line of sight was obstructed for much of the action in Round 4, and that after reviewing footage of the round, he likely would have scored the round to Rua. However, since the verdict was unanimous, retroactively changing the score for this judge would still have resulted in a 2–1 split decision in favor of Machida. Hamilton also commented that he felt the commentary had led many fans to believe Shogun had won the fight decisively, when it was a very close, technical and difficult fight to score for all three judges. In spite of this, a significant amount of the audience, who had not heard the commentary, booed the decision after it was delivered, voicing their support for Rua. Writers for a number of sports websites and magazines also claimed they felt Rua had won.There were also MMA fighters in attendance who, after the bout, voiced support for the decision. Among them were several of Machida's training partners, including Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira is a Brazilian mixed martial artist known for his technical mastery of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He competes in the heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, where he is a former UFCInterim Heavyweight Champion...
, Anderson Silva
Anderson Silva
Anderson da Silva is a Brazilian mixed martial artist. He is the current UFC Middleweight Champion and the promotion's longest reigning champion. With 14 consecutive wins, Silva holds the longest winning streak and title defense streak in UFC history...
, Junior dos Santos
Junior dos Santos
Junior dos Santos Almeida, also known as Junior Cigano , is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist and the current UFC Heavyweight Champion. Dos Santos fights in the Heavyweight division, under the tutelage of former UFC and Pride Heavyweight Champion Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira and UFC...
, Jose Aldo
Jose Aldo
José Aldo is a Brazilian mixed martial artist, who competes as a featherweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship where he is the first and current UFC Featherweight Champion...
and Rafael Cavalcante
Rafael Cavalcante
Rafael Cavalcante is a Brazilian mixed martial artist currently competing in the Light Heavyweight division. He trains with Anderson Silva and Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira as part of the Black House camp. He currently competes in Strikeforce, where he is the former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion...
.
A Fightmetric analysis of the fight suggested that Rua had been more aggressive and had landed more blows to the head and legs than Machida, while CompuStrike reported that Rua landed almost twice as many strikes as Machida did. Both Fightmetric and CompuStrike explicitly state on their websites that they are not intended to be used to judge MMA events, and are merely a way to track a fighter's activity.
Because of the controversy surrounding the close decision, on May 8, 2010, at UFC 113
UFC 113
UFC 113: Machida vs. Shogun 2 was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on May 8, 2010, at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.-Background:...
in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Quebec, Canada, Machida and Mauricio Rua faced each other again, seven months after their original fight. It was a very much anticipated rematch. Both fighters started aggressively and scored significant points in striking exchanges, with Machida scoring two takedowns during the round. Rua showed strong defense on the ground, spinning to attempt a knee bar before both fighters returned to their feet. At 3:30 of round 1, Rua swayed to avoid a hook left and landed a powerful counter overhand right to the temple, which knocked Machida down. Rua then took the full mount and proceeded to finish with ground-and-pound knocking Machida out, making him the new Light Heavyweight Champion at 3:35 in round 1, with Machida suffering his first career MMA loss.
Back to contention and title shot
Machida then faced Quinton JacksonQuinton Jackson
Quinton Ramone Jackson ;, also known as Rampage Jackson, is an American mixed martial artist and actor. He is a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. Jackson rose to prominence in Japan's Pride Fighting Championships where he was noted for his powerful body slams including a knockout victory over...
at UFC 123
UFC 123
UFC 123: Rampage vs. Machida was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on November 20, 2010 at The Palace of Auburn Hills in the Detroit suburb of Auburn Hills, Michigan...
. The decision in this fight ultimately came down to the scoring of the first round, as there is near-unanimous agreement that Rampage narrowly won the second round while Machida decisively won the third, and most dominant round of the fight.
During the first round Machida landed several leg kicks and some counter punches while Rampage predominantly landed from the clinch, utilizing stomps and punches to Machida's side. Both Compustrike and Fightmetric records show that Rampage out-struck Machida when counting small blows such as stomps and elbows to the thigh in the clinch, while Machida landing more significant strikes during the standup exchanges. Because of Rampage out-striking Machida with small attacks, while Machida landed a lot more significant strikes, there is another near-unanimous agreement that the first round was a draw. In the second round, Compustrike and Fightmetric records again show Rampage as the busier overall fighter, and Rampage also scored a takedown. The cleanest and most significant blow of the second round was also an uppercut landed by Rampage.
In the third round, Machida landed a counter left that stunned Rampage and followed it with a flurry of punches, kicks and knees that backed Quinton into the cage. When Rampage tried to retaliate, Machida scored a takedown, eventually gaining full mount and attempting several submissions.
At the end of the final round, Rampage was declared the winner via split decision (29–28, 29–28, 28–29) in what was considered by many as a controversial decision. Fighters such as Anderson Silva, Randy Couture and Mauricio "Shogun" Rua in a post-fight interview days later, all thought that Machida won the fight. In an interview after the fight, Rampage expressed to Joe Rogan that the fairest thing would be to offer Machida an immediate rematch as he felt he had lost the fight. However, since UFC President Dana White personally felt that Rampage won the fight, he denied the possibility of an immediate rematch. This has generated some controversy, as UFC President White previously awarded an immediate rematch to Mauricio "Shogun" Rua in spite of a unanimous judgment decision awarded to Machida in that fight, as well as the fact that no matter what, the crowd boos a controversial decision, but instead cheered for Rampage Jackson due to his popularity as a fighter.
UFC President Dana White had indicated in January 2011 that Machida was under pressure to perform in his upcoming bout against UFC Hall-of-Famer Randy Couture, saying, "this is a must-win for him.". Machida defeated Randy Couture
Randy Couture
Randy Duane Couture is a retired American mixed martial artist, Greco-Roman wrestler, actor, a three-time former heavyweight champion, two-time former light-heavyweight champion, former interim light heavyweight champion and UFC 13 tournament winner of the Ultimate Fighting Championship...
at UFC 129
UFC 129
UFC 129: St-Pierre vs. Shields was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on Saturday, April 30, 2011 at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario.-Background:...
in Toronto via KO with a jumping front kick
Front kick
The front kick in martial arts is a kick executed by lifting the knee straight forward, while keeping the foot and shin either hanging freely or pulled to the hip, and then straightening the leg in front of the practitioner and striking the target area...
that earned Knockout of the Night honors.
Dana White has commented that Machida's performance versus Randy Couture put him back into the mix at the top of the division, but stated that he is not yet the next in line for a title shot. Machida was briefly linked to a rematch with Rashad Evans
Rashad Evans
Rashad Anton Evans is an American mixed martial artist from Niagara Falls, New York, currently signed to the Ultimate Fighting Championship where he is a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. Evans won the heavyweight division of The Ultimate Fighter 2. Evans lost the UFC Light Heavyweight...
at UFC 133
UFC 133
UFC 133: Evans vs. Ortiz was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on August 6, 2011 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.-Background:...
, replacing an injured Phil Davis
Phil Davis (fighter)
Phil Kwabina Davis is an American mixed martial artist who currently fights in Ultimate Fighting Championship's light heavyweight division...
. However, Dana White claimed that Lyoto Machida wanted "Anderson Silva Money" and the UFC scheduled Tito Ortiz for the fight with Evans.
Machida was in talks to face Phil Davis
Phil Davis
Philip Davis is an English film actor, writer and director who has appeared in many films and television series. He has written and directed various dramas during his career.-Personal life:...
at UFC 140
UFC 140
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida is an upcoming mixed martial arts event to be held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on December 10, 2011 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario.-Background:...
but the fight is no longer happening due to Davis needing more time to recover from knee surgery. Machida is slated to face Jon Jones
Jon Jones (fighter)
Jonathan Dwight Jones is an American mixed martial artist from Endicott, New York. He is the current UFC Light Heavyweight Champion....
on December 10, 2011 at UFC 140
UFC 140
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida is an upcoming mixed martial arts event to be held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on December 10, 2011 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario.-Background:...
for the UFC light heavyweight title, replacing an injured Rashad Evans.
Fighting style
Machida uses a unique, unorthodox style in MMA that combines elements from his diverse training background. Machida has received both praise and criticism for backpedaling in his fights while winning on points. It is based mainly on Shotokan karate and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, but also integrates techniques from wrestlingWrestling
Wrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
and Sumo
Sumo
is a competitive full-contact sport where a wrestler attempts to force another wrestler out of a circular ring or to touch the ground with anything other than the soles of the feet. The sport originated in Japan, the only country where it is practiced professionally...
, which Machida says makes him "fully prepared for any situation" in the Octagon. Often described as "elusive", Machida relies on cautious and precise counter-striking that frustrates his opponents into making mistakes. Machida has earned considerable respect from MMA fans, fighters, and commentators for his effectiveness and winning ways. At the same time, his cerebral and conservative style is sometimes deemed boring and unsatisfying to watch. Machida has drawn fire from fans, and criticism from MMA commentators for his limited aggression and many decision victories. In response to these criticisms, Machida said, "If you don't like it, sorry. I always try to win." He also stated that he believes fans are coming to appreciate the efficiency of his style just like they came to appreciate Royce Gracie
Royce Gracie
Royce Gracie is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist, a UFC Hall of Famer and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner. A legend and pioneer in the sport of mixed martial arts, he is widely considered to be the most influential figure in the history of modern MMA.Gracie gained fame for his...
's jiu-jitsu.
Machida defied expectations at UFC 94
UFC 94
UFC 94: St-Pierre vs. Penn 2 was a mixed martial arts pay-per-view event promoted by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on January 31, 2009. The card featured five televised MMA bouts, as well as five un-aired preliminary bouts...
, where he earned a "Knockout of the Night" honor for his first-round stoppage of then undefeated Thiago Silva. Machida noted that he started to include weight training in his preparation for the bout. Commentators hailed the knockout as a step in the right direction toward building interest in him as a potential champion. In addition, Machida showcased his improved English skills during interviews for the event, which gave him the ability to connect with fans more easily. Machida's limited English was previously seen as a marketing liability. After knocking out Rashad Evans at UFC 98
UFC 98
UFC 98: Evans vs. Machida was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on May 23, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada.-Background:...
, in the post fight in-ring interview with Joe Rogan
Joe Rogan
Joseph James "Joe" Rogan is an American comedian, video blogger, actor, writer, podcaster, and martial artist. He is best known for his work on NewsRadio, his work as color commentator for the Ultimate Fighting Championship, and his hosting work on Fear Factor.-Acting:In 1994, Rogan co-starred on...
, Machida announced to his fans, "Karate
Karate
is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
is back! Machida Karate!" Many fans have referred to his style as "Machida Karate" since then.
In the November issue of the MMA Unltd magazine, Machida once again mentioned the phrase "Machida Karate", claiming that it was based on a very traditional form which is very different from modern sports karate. He also said that the Karate we see nowadays has lost many techniques over the years in which it was practiced, and that his style was one of the very few that still kept those techniques. "My style is Machida Karate and it is a very traditional form", he said, "It differs from sports karate which we usually see in Karate schools and competitions as it has many elements which were lost in the style including the use of knees, elbows, takedowns and even some submissions". Lyoto is a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Walter Broca.
Martial artsMartial artsMartial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
- ShotokanShotokanis a style of karate, developed from various martial arts by Gichin Funakoshi and his son Gigo Funakoshi . Gichin was born in Okinawa and is widely credited with popularizing karate through a series of public demonstrations, and by promoting the development of university karate clubs, including...
- 3rd-dan black belt in Shotokan
- Brazilian Jiu-JitsuBrazilian Jiu-JitsuBrazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a martial art, combat sport, and a self defense system that focuses on grappling and especially ground fighting...
- Black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Mixed martial artsMixed martial artsMixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
- Black Belt MagazineBlack Belt MagazineBlack Belt is an American magazine covering martial arts and combat sports founded in 1961 by Mitoshi Uyehara. During the early years of the publication, Uyehara was a hands-on owner and publisher...
- 2009 MMA Fighter of the Year
- Ultimate Fighting ChampionshipUltimate Fighting ChampionshipThe Ultimate Fighting Championship is the largest mixed martial arts promotion company in the world that hosts most of the top-ranked fighters in the sport...
- UFC Light Heavyweight Championship (One time)
- One successful title defense
- Knockout of the NightBonus Awards-Background:UFC Bonus Awards are three different kinds of awards usually given to four fighters after a UFC event.Fight of the Night - Award given to the two fighters that fought each other and delivered the "most impressive" fight on the card....
(Three times)
- Nominated for 2009 ESPY "Best Fighter" award (along with Anderson SilvaAnderson SilvaAnderson da Silva is a Brazilian mixed martial artist. He is the current UFC Middleweight Champion and the promotion's longest reigning champion. With 14 consecutive wins, Silva holds the longest winning streak and title defense streak in UFC history...
, Shane MosleyShane Mosley“Sugar” Shane Mosley is an American professional boxer from Pomona, California who has held world titles in three weight divisions.-Amateur career:Mosley was an amateur standout, capturing various amateur titles, including:...
and Manny PacquiaoManny PacquiaoEmmanuel "Manny" Dapidran Pacquiao, PLH is a Filipino professional boxer and politician. He is the first eight-division world champion; having won six world titles, as well as the first to win the lineal championship in four different weight classes. He was named "Fighter of the Decade" for the...
, who was the eventual winner of the award)
Mixed martial arts record
| Win|align=center| 17–2
| Randy Couture
Randy Couture
Randy Duane Couture is a retired American mixed martial artist, Greco-Roman wrestler, actor, a three-time former heavyweight champion, two-time former light-heavyweight champion, former interim light heavyweight champion and UFC 13 tournament winner of the Ultimate Fighting Championship...
| KO (jumping front kick)
| UFC 129
UFC 129
UFC 129: St-Pierre vs. Shields was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on Saturday, April 30, 2011 at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario.-Background:...
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 1:05
| Toronto, Ontario, Canada
|
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 16–2
| Quinton Jackson
Quinton Jackson
Quinton Ramone Jackson ;, also known as Rampage Jackson, is an American mixed martial artist and actor. He is a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. Jackson rose to prominence in Japan's Pride Fighting Championships where he was noted for his powerful body slams including a knockout victory over...
| Decision (Split)
| UFC 123
UFC 123
UFC 123: Rampage vs. Machida was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on November 20, 2010 at The Palace of Auburn Hills in the Detroit suburb of Auburn Hills, Michigan...
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
| Auburn Hills, Michigan
Auburn Hills, Michigan
Auburn Hills is a city in Metro Detroit, Oakland County, in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 21,412 at the 2010 census. The city was formed in 1983 when Pontiac Township became the City of Auburn Hills.-Economy:...
, United States
|
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 16–1
| Maurício Rua
Mauricio Rua
Maurício Milani Rua is a Brazilian mixed martial artist fighting in the Ultimate Fighting Championship where he is a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion...
| KO (punches)
| UFC 113
UFC 113
UFC 113: Machida vs. Shogun 2 was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on May 8, 2010, at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.-Background:...
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 3:35
| Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| .
|-
| Win
|align=center| 16–0
| Maurício Rua
Mauricio Rua
Maurício Milani Rua is a Brazilian mixed martial artist fighting in the Ultimate Fighting Championship where he is a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion...
| Decision (unanimous)
| UFC 104
UFC 104
UFC 104: Machida vs. Shogun was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on October 24, 2009 in Los Angeles, California.-Background:...
|
|align=center| 5
|align=center| 5:00
| Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, United States
| .
|-
| Win
|align=center| 15–0
| Rashad Evans
Rashad Evans
Rashad Anton Evans is an American mixed martial artist from Niagara Falls, New York, currently signed to the Ultimate Fighting Championship where he is a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. Evans won the heavyweight division of The Ultimate Fighter 2. Evans lost the UFC Light Heavyweight...
| KO (punches)
| UFC 98
UFC 98
UFC 98: Evans vs. Machida was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on May 23, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada.-Background:...
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 3:57
| Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, United States
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 14–0
| Thiago Silva
| KO (punches)
| UFC 94
UFC 94
UFC 94: St-Pierre vs. Penn 2 was a mixed martial arts pay-per-view event promoted by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on January 31, 2009. The card featured five televised MMA bouts, as well as five un-aired preliminary bouts...
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 4:59
| Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
| Knockout of the Night.
|-
| Win
|align=center| 13–0
| Tito Ortiz
Tito Ortiz
Jacob Christopher "Tito" Ortiz is a Mexican-American mixed martial artist and former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, having held the title from April 14, 2000 to September 26, 2003. Along with fighters like Randy Couture and Chuck Liddell, he was one of the sport's early stars...
| Decision (unanimous)
| UFC 84
UFC 84
UFC 84: Ill Will was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on May 24, 2008, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.-Overview:...
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
| Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 12–0
| Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou
Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou
Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou Nkamhoua , sometimes billed simply as Sokoudjou, is a Cameroonian mixed martial artist and judoka, and the former KSW Light Heavyweight Champion, who came to prominence in Japan's PRIDE Fighting Championships. He has since had mixed success with stints in the UFC, WEC,...
| Submission (arm-triangle choke)
| UFC 79
UFC 79
UFC 79: Nemesis was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship , that took place on December 29, 2007 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.-Background:...
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 4:20
| Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 11–0
| Kazuhiro Nakamura
Kazuhiro Nakamura
Kazuhiro Nakamura is a Japanese mixed martial artist currently competing as a middleweight in DREAM. His primary style is judo, in which he holds a 3rd dan black belt under Hidehiko Yoshida...
| Decision (unanimous)
| UFC 76
UFC 76
UFC 76: Knockout was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship . The event took place on September 22, 2007 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California...
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
| Anaheim, California
Anaheim, California
Anaheim is a city in Orange County, California. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was about 365,463, making it the most populated city in Orange County, the 10th most-populated city in California, and ranked 54th in the United States...
, United States
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 10–0
| David Heath
David Heath (fighter)
David Alan Heath is an American mixed martial artist who formerly competed in the light heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, where he made his debut at UFC 62, defeating Cory Walmsley by first-round submission...
| Decision (unanimous)
| UFC 70
UFC 70
UFC 70: Nations Collide was the second UFC event held in the United Kingdom, and the first in Manchester on Saturday, April 21, 2007. The first UFC event in the UK was UFC 38: Brawl at the Hall on July 13, 2002. UFC 70 was also only the seventh UFC event held outside the United States, and the...
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
| Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, England
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 9–0
| Sam Hoger
Sam Hoger
Samuel Earl Hoger is an American mixed martial artist most notable for appearing on the first season of The Ultimate Fighter, a reality television series produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship and broadcast on Spike TV...
| Decision (unanimous)
| UFC 67
UFC 67
UFC 67: All or Nothing was a mixed martial arts event held by Ultimate Fighting Championship. The event was held Saturday, February 3, 2007 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center on the Las Vegas Strip in Nevada...
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
| Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 8–0
| Vernon White
Vernon White
Vernon Verdell White is a professional mixed martial arts fighter who has fought for the Ultimate Fighting Championship , Pride Fighting Championships, Strikeforce, King of the Cage, Pancrase, and the International Fight League . He lives in California, and belongs to the fighting team The Lion's...
| Decision (unanimous)
| WFA: King of the Streets
WFA: King of the Streets
WFA: King of the Streets was a mixed martial arts event held by World Fighting Alliance on July 22, 2006 at the Great Western Forum in Los Angeles, California, USA. This would be the last event held by the World Fighting Alliance. The event was seen live on pay per view in the United States via iN...
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
| Los Angeles, California, United States
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 7–0
| Dimitri Wanderley
| TKO (exhaustion)
| Jungle Fight 6
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 3:24
| Manaus
Manaus
Manaus is a city in Brazil, the capital of the state of Amazonas. It is situated at the confluence of the Negro and Solimões rivers. It is the most populous city of Amazonas, according to the statistics of Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, and is a popular ecotourist destination....
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 6–0
| B.J. Penn
| Decision (unanimous)
| K-1 Hero's 1
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
| Saitama, Saitama
Saitama, Saitama
' is the capital and the most populous city of Saitama Prefecture in Japan, situated in the south-east of the prefecture. Its area incorporates the former cities of Urawa, Ōmiya, Yono and Iwatsuki. It is a city designated by government ordinance...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
| Machida fought at a weight of 102 kg (224.9 lb). Penn weighed in at 86.5 kg (190.7 lb).
|-
| Win
|align=center| 5–0
| Sam Greco
Sam Greco
Sam "Slam 'em" Greco is a retired Australian super heavyweight kickboxer, heavyweight mixed martial artist and professional wrestler of Italian descent, who fought in Kyokushin karate, professional kickboxing, and K-1 tournaments....
| Decision (split)
| K-1 MMA ROMANEX
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
| Saitama, Saitama, Japan
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 4–0
| Michael McDonald
Michael McDonald (kickboxer)
Michael "The Black Sniper" McDonald is a retired Canadian Heavyweight kickboxer. He is the former three time K-1 World Grand Prix in Las Vegas tournament champion.-Early life:Michael McDonald was born in Birmingham, England...
| Submission (forearm choke)
| K-1 Beast 2004 in Niigata
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 2:30
| Saitama, Saitama, Japan
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 3–0
| Rich Franklin
Rich Franklin
Rich Jay Franklin II is an American mixed martial artist and former Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight champion.-Background:...
| TKO (head kick and punches)
| Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2003
Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2003
Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2003: Inoki Festival was a mixed martial arts and kickboxing event promoted by Antonio Inoki on December 31, 2003 at the Kobe Wing Stadium in Kobe, Japan. It was the follow-up to Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2001 and Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2002...
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|align=center| 2
|align=center| 1:03
| Kobe, Hyogo, Japan
|Both Machida and Franklin fought at a weight of 214 lbs
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| Win
|align=center| 2–0
| Stephan Bonnar
Stephan Bonnar
Stephan Patrick Bonnar is an American mixed martial artist who currently competes for the Ultimate Fighting Championship...
| TKO (Cut)
| Jungle Fight 1
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 4:21
| Manaus, Brazil
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| Win
|align=center| 1–0
| Kengo Watanabe
| Decision (unanimous)
| New Japan Pro Wrestling: Ultimate Crush
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
| Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan
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