Lyoto: “I invested my life on this dream”

By Guilherme Cruz

Photo Josh Hedges

 

Lyoto Machida needed 15 fights to achieve his biggest dream: becoming the UFC champing. Last night, on UFC 98, the Brazilian neutralized Rashad Evans and, showing great striking ability, knocked Evans out on the second round and left Las Vegas with the light heavyweight gold. “The pressure was huge, because it was a five rounds fight for the belt, a new thing for me, but I did it well. Our strategy was set on top of his mistakes and I knew I’d induce him to mistake and he’d fell, and it happened on the second round. I felt him coming, so I connected some punches and he fell”, sayd Machida to TATAME.com.

 

Lyoto shared with us his feelings by hearing Bruce Buffer calling him the new UFC light heavyweight champion. “I’m very, very happy, it wasn’t easy for me. I fought my whole life to get where I’m today, I invested my whole life believing on this dream. It was the end of one stage, now is to remain champion, what’s tougher”, tells Lyoto, who doesn’t wanna think about his first title defense, possibly against Quinton Jackson.

 

“They talked about it, but I don’t need to focus on this until its confirmed. I wanna rest a little, I’m coming from two fights and I need to rest some days and then come back to training. Then, I’ll focus on my goal: remain champion”, says the Brazilian, open to be the TUF 11 coach, with one condition: “I can do it, but I have to have a structure here in the US, because I have to train too. I can’t be only coaching, it’s six weeks and it’s very important. My focus is fighting. I know I have to use this moment to make my name bigger and all that, but it’s not my main focus right now. With the right structure here, I’d do it”.