Chow came to Brazil exclusively to watch Lyoto fight. Photo: Lucas Carrano/SUPER FIGHTS
What was the biggest effort you ever made for your sports idol? For 25-year-old Chinese David Ma, the answer is easy, but requires a lot of commitment: completely reprogram your life.
Born in China but a citizen of Canada since he was a child, Ma, or “Chow” as he prefers to be called, doesn't think twice when asked who his greatest hero is. “Lyoto Machida”, he replies promptly.
See too
Therefore, from 2007 to now, Chow has spared no effort and has traveled within and outside his country to watch as many of the Brazilian's fights as possible. “I know he won't fight forever, so I need to take advantage while he's still active”, he explains.
In order to fulfill his saga, David does not take vacations from work and uses his free days in smaller days off, distributed in such a way as to include as many events with Machida as possible. So much effort and adaptation do not make the Chinese fear irritating their boss.
“My boss doesn’t get mad, I already warned him about my decision. The only reason I go to work is to save money to watch the fights. Lyoto Machida. If I can't do that at work, I have no reason to work. Because I just want to see him fight, that's what makes me happy", said Chow, who talked about how the "negotiation" works with his boss.
“I just tell him: 'There's a Machida fight coming up, it's going to be on that day and I need a few days off'. And I'm not saying that I ask him, because if he said no I'll go anyway, I'll miss it due to an 'illness' or even resign, it doesn't matter”, said the Chinese man, who works as an engineer.
To come to Brazil, however, Chow didn't just have to manage his work. “I was in Mexico visiting my girlfriend, who lives there, but I left in the middle of the week and came straight to Brazil, to São Paulo, to watch the UFC,” he revealed.
Despite so many chapters already written and plans for so many more, Chow and Lyoto's story began by chance. “It was probably 2006. He was one of the first guys I met. Because I was on the UFC website looking for who the champions were, because I didn't know anyone, and I remember seeing Rich Franklin. At the time he had more than 20 wins and only one loss and I was wondering who had beaten him. I looked it up and discovered that he was a certain “Ryoto” Machida, they spelled his name that way at the time. From then on I started watching his fights and that’s how it all started”, recalled the fan, who watched his idol live for the first time in December 2007, in his victory over Rameau Sokoudjou.
Second time in Brazil there is a new squire
This time, the Chinese man was joined by his friend Tristan (right) on his trip. Photo: Lucas Carrano/SUPER FIGHTS
The visit to São Paulo and Barueri is not Chow's first to Brazil. After unsuccessfully trying to go to London to watch the fight between Lyoto Machida and Mark Muñoz, as the Brazilian entered the fight at the last minute replacing the injured Michael Bisping, he promised himself that he would not miss the next showing of “Dragão” for anything and came to Jaraguá do Sul in February this year, to watch the duel against Gegard Mousasi.
For the second time in less than a year in the country, Chow already has a well-defined opinion about Brazil. “Man, I love Brazil. I really wanted to visit the country before coming here this year and I really want to come back more often. The people are very nice, very interested in what you are doing here and always have great conversations,” he commented.
On his return to Brazil, David did not come alone. This time he brought his friend Tristan Singh, also 25 years old, as his squire on another stage of the “Machida Journey”. Tristan isn't that big of a fan of the Brazilian fighter, but admits it's difficult to remain impassive alongside Chow. “I had never heard of Lyoto before my friend Chow mentioned it to me a few years ago, but I accepted the invitation when he asked me to come to Brazil and I'm loving it. Loving the experience, the event and also the country. The women here are incredible (laughs), everyone is so friendly and the food is great, I will 100% be back”, he guaranteed.
Meeting the idol
“Finally!” commented Chow in May this year after meeting Machida. Photo: Personal Archive
Even with so many trips in history and attendance at events in which Lyoto Machida was fighting, the first meeting between fan and idol curiously happened on a card in which “Dragon” was not performing.
In May of this year, Lyoto would face Chris Weidman for the middleweight belt in Las Vegas (USA) and obviously David planned his trip and bought his tickets to watch him fight for the title. However, an injury to Weidman postponed the duel until July and Chow ended up watching the UFC 173 card in situ, in which Renan Barao ended up being defeated by TJ Dillashaw in the main fight. The fan's trip to Nevada, however, was worth it.
“Even with the fight postponed, Lyoto went to Las Vegas and participated in an autograph session at Mandalay Bay. It was there that I finally managed to meet him in person for the first time. We talked a little, I tried to explain to him where Newfoundland (the Canadian province where he grew up) is and we took some photographs,” he reported.
Best and worst moment as a Lyoto fan
Defeat for Shogun was chosen by Chow as the worst moment of his career. Photo: Josh Hedges/UFC
Having been such an avid fan for so long, Chow has certainly experienced thick and thin supporting the former light heavyweight champion. When asked which were the ones that impacted him the most, he made a point of first reporting the worst episode of his entire career.
“I was in Montreal, in May 2010, and he was fighting Shogun for the second time. I remember how stressful it was to watch that first fight and I wasn't in that first fight because I had something to do. The fight was even. I believe he won, but it was a very close fight. So when the second fight came, I was very nervous, but I still believed that Machida would win. Then, the first round came and he was easily knocked out and that was shocking for me. I remember being depressed for about four months. I didn't leave the house for the whole first week, I just stayed at home. I remember finishing about four games in a few days, all to try to forget what had happened in Montreal,” he said.
Couture's kick was remembered as the most memorable moment. Photo: Disclosure
Canada was the scene of both the saddest and happiest moments for Chow, who would find his redemption about a year after his defeat to Shogun, in the midst of almost 55 thousand people in Toronto, at UFC 129. “The time I stayed The happiest was in that stadium event, at the Rogers Center, against Randy Couture. He applied that “Karate Kid” kick to the middle of the face… To be honest, I jumped so fast when I saw it, I think I was the first person to stand up. And that's an interesting thing about Machida: you have to pay very, very close attention to his fights. Because otherwise, otherwise you might not understand. A lot of people don't understand, I would say, because they think your style is boring and things like that”, he analyzed.
This Saturday (20), Chow and his friend Tristan will be sitting in the front row, next to the octagon, for UFC Barueri, in which Lyoto Machida faces CB Dollaway in the main fight.
Comments