Yoshizo Machida

If Lyoto Machida’s game appears indecipherable to the opponents, the responsible for that is Yoshizo Machida. Master and father of the champion, the Japanese is the man behind the preparation of the light heavyweight king of the UFC, undefeated after 15 fights. In interview to TATAME.com, Yoshizo spoke about the fight against Rashad Evans, in UFC 98, the emotion with the conquestand the big challenge that comes ahead, to keep the belt in the MAchida family, and more.

How was the party for the conquest in the UFC?

They closed the airport, the firemen were waiting for us, Lyoto walked on top of the fire truck and we run the whole city, but it was raining a lot. The plane delayed nearly 40 minutes and we were all soaked by the rain (laughs). But the people really cheered for us, and we were grateful. On Monday, the mayor called us for breakfast, said they liked a lot, because it was the first world title of Pará. People were very happy. Lyoto, now, is traveling. He went to Brasilia, then goes to Rio Grande do Norte, Ceará... He has to rest, because he was three months training very tight, so he took the family and went to travel.

And what did you think of the fight? Were you at the corner?

Shinzo stays guiding, but I also guide a bit, because our program is that. He really trained for three months, but mainly trained Karate, hit bag a lot, the makiwara... He trains a lot of basement, and I think the success is this. Everything that we used there was Karate stroke, the kick, the punch...

In the last fights, Lyoto showed a big improvement in his performance...

His punch improved, because we hired a professor of physical education to do the working out job, these things, and this improved a little. He trained that a lot.

What was the strategy for this fight? Did you imagine that he would want to fight standing, instead of trying to go to the ground?

I imagined, because Rashad didn’t attack, and Lyoto neither. But, in the first round, we analyzed his rhythm, studied the distance, everything. Then, from the second round, he shook his arm, the elbow behind, and we expected this to enter. Technically, we were already prepared.

How was the emotion of seeing your son knocking out Rashad and getting the UFC belt?

Now is the most difficult. Half was happy, half has to take care, because we have to keep this belt. He is already scheduled to train, because I think the next fight is already scheduled for October, this is more or less certain.

The next opponent may be Shogun. How do you think the fight will be?

He’s a very good opponent, so it’s good for Lyoto. It can be against anyone, we aren’t worried about the opponent. Our training is a little different from the other people, is more psychological concentration and the technical part. Most of them become nervous, anxious, but we are calm. Before the fight, behind the scenes, we didn’t even train... Our training is totally different.

This is category is the most movimented in the UFC, with the belt changing hands all the time. How to keep the title for a longer time?

Our style is different, you see that the guys are from Kickboxing, Jiu-Jitsu, and our is really like the old Karate, we’ve shown them our Karate. If anything happens, okay, we go again from the beginning.

This conquest served, also, to put the Karate for once in the MMA...

Yes ... People from São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, who train with me, were praising my son, that the Karate is coming back, because he had fallen too much. Our team was, including, Brazilian champion, we brought 36 medals. Both sides were successful. The mayor called us now to create an arrangement of needy people, and this will greatly improve in Pará, working also with the Secretary of Environment and Tourism, because here it’s really stopped.