Lyoto returns to the octagon after 28 months (Photo: Reproduction/Twitter UFCBrasil)
Without stepping foot in the octagon since June 27, 2015, Lyoto Machida is finally preparing to return to action this Saturday (21), when he will face Derek Brunson in the main attraction of UFC Sao Paulo. Having overcome the two defeats in his last appearances and the controversy involving doping, which left him unable to fight for 18 months, the Brazilian now focuses on restarting his journey in the middleweight division, remembering the moments that took him to the top of the world of MMA.
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“After such a long break, it’s a fresh start for me, everything is new. But I'm enjoying it, I'm enjoying it, because it's remembering the beginning, it's always important to remember the beginning of your career, what led me to become champion and the entire trajectory I've had. This fresh start is very important for me to keep in mind, remember everything and enjoy”, declared Machida in an exclusive interview with SUPER FIGHTS.
Despite the inactive time and the current tumultuous scenario of the middleweight elite, Lyoto has already set his biggest goal: to win the category's belt, which is currently in the possession of Michael Bisping. At 39 years old, the former light heavyweight champion guarantees that his return is not motivated by money, but rather by the desire to improve himself as a fighter.
“I'm not going back to fight just to fight. There is no activity that I do just to do it, just for the money. It's a set of things, and this set has to have a greater objective, and my objective is to be champion in this category. It's a category that is very competitive, so I have to have this objective, have this challenge”, said the Brazilian, who concluded by stating that he is ready to overcome Brunson's game based on strategy.
“When we talk about MMA, we talk about a very big mix, where the fight can take place in any environment. It's logical that because I'm a guy who comes from fighting on the feet, I'll always look for fighting on the feet, but I'm prepared for situations in which the Derek Brunson have your strong point… the takedown part, the ground part. So it will be a fight in which everyone will try to use their own strategy to come out ahead”, he concluded.
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