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Lyoto Machida – Stats, History and MMA Record

Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida

Man standing with no shirt. Lyoto Machida
  • Age: 41
  • Date of birth: 30 May 1978
  • Born: Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
  • Fighting out of: Palos Verdes, California, United States
  • Height: 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
  • Weight: 185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb)
  • Reach: 74 in (190 cm)
  • Stance: Southpaw 
  • Main styles: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai, Shotokan Karate, 
  • Belts: 3rd dan black belt in Shotokan Karate, Black Belt Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
  • Gym / Teams: Machida Karate, Kings MMA
  • Pro MMA record: 26 – 8, 
  • Winning %: 76%
  • Losing %: 24%
  • Wins by KO/TKO: 11 (42%)
  • Wins by submission: 2 (8%)
  • Wins by decision: 3 (12%)

Stand out Stats

  • Machida began his pro MMA career in 2003 and proceeded to win 16 straight fights, which included winning the UFC’s light-heavyweight title in 2009, by knocking out Rashad Evans.
  • In 2003, Machida became the first person to defeat Rich Franklin. Machida faced Franklin in what was the latter’s 15th pro bout, and stopped the future UFC champion in round two. The fight was just Machida’s third pro bout.
  • Machida was awarded four “Knockout of the Night” bonuses, two “Performance of the Night” awards and three “Fight of the Night” honors during his UFC run. The star fought under the UFC banner from February, 2007 through May, 2018.

Pro MMA Record  (1)

ResultOpponentEventMethodRoundTime
WinChael SonnenBellator 222Jun / 14 / 2019TKO (flying knee and punches)20:22
WinRafael CarvalhoBellator 213 – Dec / 15 /  2018
Decision (split)35:00
WinVitor BelfortUFC 224 May / 12 / 2018KO (front kick)21:00
WinEryk AndersUFC Fight Night 125 Feb / 3 / 2018Decision (split)35:00
LossDerek BrunsonUFC Fight Night 119Oct / 28 / 2017KO (punches) 2:30
LossYoel RomeroUFC Fight Night 70 Jun / 27 / 2015KO (elbows)31:38
LossLuke RockholdUFC on FOX 15 Apr / 18 / 2015Submission (rear-naked-choke)22:31
WinC.B. DollawayUFC Fight Night 58Dec / 20 / 2014TKO (body kick and punches)11:02
LossChris WeidmanUFC 175Jul / 05 / 2014Decision (unanimous)55:00
WinGegard MousasiUFC Fight Night 36 Feb /  15 / 2014Decision (unanimous)55:00
WinMark MunozUFC Fight Night 30 Oct / 26 / 2013KO (head kick)13:10
LossPhil DavisUFC 163Aug / 03 / 2013Decision (unanimous)35:00
WinDan HendersonUFC 157 Feb / 23 / 2013Decision (split)5:00
WinRyan BaderUFC on FOX 4Aug / 4 / 2012KO (punch)21:32
LossJon JonesUFC 140Dec / 10 / 2011Technical submission (standing guillotine choke)24:26
WinRandy CoutureUFC 129Apr / 30 / 2011KO (crane kick)21:05
Loss Quinton JacksonUFC 123Nov / 20 / 2010Decision (split)35:00
LossMauricio RuaUFC 113May / 08 / 2010KO (punches)13:35
WinMauricio RuaUFC 104Oct / 24 / 2009Decision (unanimous)55:00
WinRashad EvansUFC 98 May / 23 / 2009KO (punches)23:57
WinThiago SilvaUFC 94 Jan / 31 / 2009KO (punches)14:59
WinTito OrtizUFC 84 May / 24 / 2008Decision (unanimous)35:00
WinRameau Thierry SokoudjouUFC 79 Dec / 29 / 2007Submission (arm-triangle-choke)24:20
WinKazuhiro NakamuraUFC 76 Sep / 22/ 2007Decision (unanimous)35:00
WinDavid HeathUFC 70 Apr / 21 / 2007Decision (unanimous)35:00
WinSam HogerUFC 67 Feb / 03 / 2007Decision (unanimous)35:00
WinVernon WhiteWFA 4 Jul / 22 / 2006Decision (unanimous)35:00
WinDimitri WanderleyJungle Fight 6
Apr / 29 / 2006
TKO (exhaustion)33:24
WinB.J. PennK-1 – Hero’s 1
Mar / 26 / 2005
Decision (unanimous)35:00
WinSam GrecoK -1 MMA – Romanex May / 22 / 2004Decision (split)35:00
WinMichael McDonaldK-1 – Beast 2004
Mar / 14 / 2004
Submission (forearm choke)12:30
WinRich FranklinInoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2003 – Inoki Festival
Dec / 31 / 2003
TKO (head kick and punches)21:03
WinStephan BonnarJF – Jungle Fight 1
Sep / 13 / 2003
TKO (doctor stoppage)14:21
WinKengo WatanabeNJPW – Ultimate Crush May / 02 / 2003Decision (unanimous)35:00

Biography / Interesting Facts

  • Machida was born in Salvador, Brazil, but his father Yoshizo was born in Ibaraki, Japan in 1946. Yoshizo Machida migrated to Brazil in 1968. In Brazil, the karate Sensei met and married Lyoto’s mother, Ana Claudia. Yoshizo, who holds the rank of 8th Dan black belt by the International Traditional Karate Association, began teaching Lyoto and his older brother Chinzo karate when they were children (2).
  • The name “Ryoto” is of Japanese origin and means “dragon”, which is Machida’s nickname (3).
  • He trains out of Machida Karate, Kings MMA both of which are great gyms.
  • As Machida extended his undefeated record during his first years with the UFC, by going 8-0 in the Octagon, the term the “Machida Era” was often used to describe the fighter’s dominant run.
  • Machida defended the UFC’s light-heavyweight title for the first time in October, 2009 against Mauricio Rua, and won the fight via decision. Since the decision was widely deemed as controversial, however, a rematch was booked for May, 2010. Machida was knocked out by Rua in the opening round.
  • The heralded striker secured another shot at the UFC’s light-heavyweight title in April, 2011, by knocking out the legendary Randy Couture with a front kick. Machida faced champion Jon Jones that December, but was choked out by the renowned fighter in the second round.
  • After Machida lost via decision to light-heavyweight contender Phil Davis in 2013, the former champion moved down to middleweight. Machida knocked out Mark Munoz in his first bout competing in the 185 pound division.
  • Machida faced Chris Weidman for the UFC’s middleweight title in July, 2014, but lost to the now former champion via unanimous decision.
  • In 2014 ‘Tapped out’ a MMA movie featuring Machida came out.
  • In 2016, Machida was suspended by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) for 18 months, after he tested positive for the banned substance  7-keto-dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). Machida claimed he did not know the substance was banned and that he used the substance to mitigate stress (4).
  • In 2018, Machida surprised many throughout the MMA world by signing with Bellator. The move followed Machida’s knockout win of Vitor Belfort at UFC 224 in May of that same year.

References

  1. Wikipedia, Lyoto Machida. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyoto_Machida
  2. The History of Machida Karate. Retrieved from https://www.machidakarate.com/about-us/history/
  3. Baby Names, Ryoto, Retrieved from https://www.babynames.com/name/ryoto 
  4. Raimondi, Marc, (2016, November 18), Lyoto Machida releases statement on his 18-month USADA suspension. Retrieved from https://www.mmafighting.com/2016/11/18/13681318/lyoto-machida-releases-statement-on-his-18-month-usada-suspension

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