lyoto machida

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The late, great Bruce
Lee, today considered
the “godfather of mixed
martial arts,” said it best
way back in the 1960s:
“It’s not the style that
makes the man, it’s the
man that makes the style.”
Those prophetic words have taken shape
some 40 years later with the meteoric
rise of Brazilian Lyoto “The Dragon”
Machida, the Shotokan-based black belt
who’s the first fighter to successfully
apply karate techniques in MMA
competition. Machida has accomplished
with karate what Royce Gracie did with
Brazilian jiu-jitsu back in the UFC’s
infancy. By doing so, he’s also brought
back respect to an art that has been
totally absent in the Octagon.
He’s handsome, he’s educated, he’s dignified
and he’s deadly in the Octagon®. He’s Lyoto
“The Dragon” Machida (pronounced, lee-oh’toe
ma-chee’da), a charismatic new superstar of the
Ultimate Fighting Championship® (UFC®). The
former UFC light heavyweight champion is a
karate phenom who has lost just one fight (16-1)
in mixed martial arts competition. That was a
May 8, 2010 1st-round knockout in a UFC-title
rematch with Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, whom he
had decisioned last year. At 6-foot-1, 205-pounds,
Machida is currently ranked as one of the top light
heavyweights in the world.
The martial arts hasn’t seen a Dragon like this
since the legendary Don “The Dragon” Wilson
dominated professional kickboxing.
Machida is a former Brazilian and Pan-American
karate champion in amateur Japanese point-fighting
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“My karate style is kyokushin and
Lyoto’s is Shotokan, and the rules are
a little different,” St. Pierre said. “But
I would love it, because I love karate
and Lyoto is a great fighter.”
Lyoto Carvalho Machida, 32, who
resides in Belem, Para, Brazil, is the
son of Japanese-Brazilian shotokan
karate master Yoshizo Machida, 63.
It was Yoshizo, who learned his art in
Japan in the renowned Japan Karate
Association and then, at age 22,
introduced shotokan to Brazil.
“I arrived here with only two pairs
of clothes, nothing else, and I only
knew how to say three things — good
morning, good evening, and hungry,”
Master Machida told Marcelo Alonzo
in an interview for Sherdog. “Later on,
I went to Bahia, where I opened my
own academy. Since then, I’ve taught
© 2010 Zuffa, LLC
Further, Vitor Belfort began
studying shotokan karate during his
training for his UFC 103 fight against
ex-UFC Middleweight Champ Rich
Machida’s Traditional
Karate Background
A U G U S T 2 0 1 0
Today, Machida is doing with karate
what Royce Gracie did with Brazilian
jiu-jitsu back in the embryonic era of
the UFC, which was launched in 1993.
In that raw, no-holds-barred period,
the purpose of the competition was to
decide which martial art or style — not
which fighter — was superior. The
mode of competition was elimination
matches with no weight categories
Until Machida entered the scene
in 2003, karate was the neglected
stepchild of mixed martial arts. Now,
thanks to him, it’s part of the sport’s
genesis. In fact, his success has now
influenced others to want in on
Machida karate. In an August 2009
interview with Tatame magazine, UFC
Welterweight Champion Georges St.
Pierre discussed his desire to train
alongside Machida.
Franklin. Although it’s uncertain if
the karate training helped him, Belfort
TKOed Franklin in 3:02 of the first
round via strikes.
S U C C E S S and very few rules. Royce used his
family art brilliantly to win UFC 1, 2
and 4, beating all comers, and fought
Ken Shamrock to a draw in UFC 5.
m a
tournaments. What sets him apart
from his MMA peers is his application
in the Octagon of modified karate
techniques from his shotokan karate
foundation. These techniques, along
with his additional training in sumo,
wrestling, muay thai, and Brazilian
jiu-jitsu, have helped him secure
victories over some of the greatest
names in MMA. He has defeated such
powerhouse MMA stars as Tito Ortiz,
Rich Franklin, B.J. Penn, Mauricio
“Shogun” Rua, Stephan Bonnar,
Rashad Evans, Thiago Silva, and
Kazuhiro Nakamura.
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S U C C E S S A U G U S T 2 0 1 0
© 2010 Zuffa, LLC
“What sets Machida apart from his MMA peers is his application
in the Octagon of modifed karate techniques from his
shotokan karate foundation.”
more than ten-thousand students, but
only two hundred and fifty [have]
received the black belt.”
Three of Master Machida’s sons
were trained in shotokan karate from
early childhood. Chinzo was the first
to earn his black belt at age 10; Lyoto
earned his at 13, and Take at 17.
Later, Master Machida modified
the shotokan techniques and founded
his own style, Machida karate, which
he says observes the principles of
Bushido, the Warrior’s Code.
“Shotokan nowadays,” Master
Machida told Sherdog, “is pretty
much focused on competition.
Machida karate thinks competition
is very important — we have many
champions — but we separate Machida
karate. In the ring, our goal is to
punish and take down an opponent.
On the other side, shotokan karate,
which I also teach, is pretty much an
educational sport.”
According to Wikipedia, the online
encyclopedia, Lyoto Machida stated
that his father encourages him to be
like a samurai. “Each day I wake up
and think, I have to be samurai style,”
said Lyoto, “but it is very difficult,
because you have to be honest
and disciplined.”
The Machidas have repeatedly
stated that the style they practice is
very traditional and yet very different
from the modern forms of karate
taught in most schools. They point
out that, since a number of traditional
karate styles became sport-oriented,
these styles were now focused on
gaining points rather than beating
an opponent.
To the Machidas, traditional
karate lost many important technical
elements. Yoshizo points out that
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karate, originally, was like modern mixed
martial arts, embracing techniques such as
the use of knees, elbows, takedowns, and
even some submissions, but those elements
were lost in its conversion to a safe sport.
What Makes Machida
So Great?
I happened to watch Machida’s 2009 title
fight against Rashad Evans in Philadelphia
with my mentor, retired world heavyweight
karate and kickboxing champion Joe Lewis,
who’s widely recognized for his technical
and analytical brilliance when it comes
to all forms of combat. Lewis analyzes
Machida’s fighting style and strategy in
this way.
“Old-school karate is based on taking
away an opponent’s weapons with empty
hands. That is exactly what Machida does,”
Lewis says. “If an opponent chooses to
shoot, he denies them the opportunity. If
they want to strike, he knows how to take
away that also.
“There are three factors emphasized
in karate training which he employs,”
Lewis adds. “First, the stances; they are all
defensive, which forces your opponent to
lead. Thus, his opponents are forced to fight
his fight. Next is range. He uses distance
against them, denying them access to the
pocket; therefore, most attack from out of
Lyoto Machida’s Vital Stats
Name: Lyoto Machida
Losses: 1
Nickname: “The Dragon”
Started MMA Career: 2003
Location: Belem, Para, Brazil
Association/Team: Black House
Birthdate: 5/30/1978 (32)
Height: 6’1” (186cm)
Title: UFC Light Heavyweight
Weight: 205 pounds (93kg)
Champion
Record: 16-1-0
Wins: 16
Style: Machida karate
Rank: 3rd dan karate; black belt
in Brazilian jiu-jitsu
5 (T)KOs (31.25%)
2 Submissions (12.5%)
9 Decisions (56.25%)
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effective range. The third is explosiveness. No
other art form perfects the trigger squeeze like
old-school karate teachings.
“Out of respect for Machida’s continued
success, I don’t want to expose his real
advantages,” Lewis admits. “Bottom line is,
besides his unmatched indomitable will, another
tenet of old-school karate, his greatness is that
he obviously does his homework and comes in
the ring well-prepared. And, he knows how
to fight.”
Often described as “elusive,” Machida relies
on cautious and precise counterstriking that
frustrates his opponents into making mistakes.
Machida has earned considerable respect from
MMA fans, fighters, and commentators for his
effectiveness and winning ways. At the same
time, his cerebral and conservative style has
drawn criticism from some MMA sources for
being boring.
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© 2010 Zuffa, LLC
In response, Machida told Benjamin Zeidler at
bloodyelbow.com, “If you don’t like it, [I’m] sorry.
I always try to win. Everyone has their own
opinion and I really respect that. I am a martial
artist, [so] there is a lot of thought and strategy
that goes into the way I fight. Give me time and,
in the future, everyone will understand my style.
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5/23/09: UFC Light Heavyweight Title: Defeated
Rashad Evans, UFC 98: Evans vs. Machida
(2nd-round KO by punches). In the postfight in-ring interview with Joe Rogan,
Machida announced to his fans, “Karate
is back! Machida Karate!” Many fans have
referred to his style as “Machida Karate”
since then. For the second consecutive time,
Machida’s performance earned him Knockout
of the Night Honors with a $60,000 bonus.
1/31/09: Defeated Thiago Silva, UFC 94: St. Pierre vs.
Penn 2 (1st-round KO by punches). Machida’s
first UFC knockout earned “Knockout of the
Night” honors and a $65,000 bonus.
5/24/08: Defeated Tito Ortiz, UFC 84: Ill Will (3-round
unanimous decision).
2/3/07: Defeated Sam Hoger, UFC 67: All Or Nothing
(3-round unanimous decision).
7/22/06: Defeated Vernon White, WFA-King of the
Streets (3-round unanimous decision).
4/29/06: Defeated Dimitri Wanderley, JF 6-Jungle
Fight 6 (3rd-round TKO by strikes).
3/26/05: Defeated BJ Penn, K-1 Hero’s 1 (3-round
unanimous decision).
5/22/04: Defeated Sam Greco, K-1 MMA-ROMANEX
(3-round split decision).
3/14/04: Defeated Michael McDonald, K-1 Beast 2004
(1st-round submission by forearm choke).
12/31/03: Defeated Rich Franklin, Inoki Festival
(2nd-round TKO by strikes).
9/13/03: Defeated Stephan Bonnar, JF 1-Jungle
Fight 1 (1st-round TKO by cuts).
5/2/03: Defeated Kengo Watanabe, NJPW-Ultimate
Crush (3-round unanimous decision).
A U G U S T 2 0 1 0
10/24/09: UFC Light Heavyweight Title: Defeated
Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, UFC 104:
Machida vs. Shogun (5-round unanimous
decision). This outcome drew controversy
and was disputed by many prominent
MMA observers, which set up the highlyanticipated rematch in May 2010.
4/21/07: Defeated David Heath, UFC 70: Nations
Collide (3-round unanimous decision)
S U C C E S S 5/8/10: UFC Light Heavyweight Title: Lost to Mauricio
“Shogun” Rua, UFC 113: Machida vs. Shogun
2 (1st-round knockout).
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MMA Fight History
12/29/07: Defeated Rameau Sokoudjou, UFC 79:
Nemesis (2nd-round submission by arm
triangle choke).
9/22/07: Defeated Kazuhiro Nakamura, UFC 76:
Knockout (3-round unanimous decision).
© 2010 Zuffa, LLC
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Machida’s The Least Hit Fighter In MMA History!
Reprinted by permission of FightMetric.com
S U C C E S S My
research of Lyoto Machida led me to a very useful
and fascinating website called FightMetric, which
compiles MMA fighter statistics and analyzes
individual fights in a way that no one else in the world does.
What the FightMetric stats on Machida clearly show is the
sheer dominance that he’s been able to amass on his way to an
undefeated record and the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship.
A U G U S T 2 0 1 0
Note: The following stats do not include Machida’s first MMA
bout against Kengo Watanabe. These figures were also calculated
before Machida’s rematch against Mauricio “Shogun” Rua on
May 8, 2010, which he lost by 1st-round KO, bringing his current
record to 16-1.
— John Corcoran
These FightMetric stats show just how deceptive and elusive
Machida is in the cage. According to these stats, there has never
been a fighter in MMA history, not just UFC history, that has
dominated opponents as much as Machida has in all aspects. He’s
the closest thing to Superman!
FightMetric is the world’s first comprehensive mixed martial
arts statistics and analysis provider. Using results and data from
thousands of MMA fights, the FightMetric system determines
the true value of every strike, submission attempt, takedown and
position change in the sport. Fights are carefully studied and
tracked for 67 individual occurrences. It consequently produces
objective, easy-to-understand scores that measure the totality of
the fight. Check them out at www.FightMetric.com.
Opponents Vs. Machida
Opponent
Strikes Landed
Attempts
Percentage
Mauricio Rue
80
147
(54.4%)
Rashad Evans
3
21
(14.28%)
Thiago Silva
2
9
(22.22%)
Tito Ortiz
13
46
(28.26%)
Thierry Sokoudjou
3
19
(15.79%)
Kazuhiro Nakamura
11
27
(40.74%)
David Heath
6
41
(14.63%)
Sam Hoger
8
42
(19.05%)
Vernon White
4
52
(7.69%)
Dimitri Wanderley
11
42
(26.19%)
B.J. Penn
28
49
(57.14%)
Sam Greco
7
16
(43.75%)
Michael McDonald
0
1
(0.00%)
Rich Franklin
6
19
(31.58%)
Stephan Bonnar
6
28
(21.43%)
_________________________________________________
Total
108
412
(26.21%)
That’s not the whole picture. Consider these additional stats:
Takedowns Attempted by Machida: 20 of 29 (68.96%)
Takedowns Defended: 8 of 45 (17.7%)
Total Guard Passes For Machida: 48
Total Guard Passes Against: 3
Submission Attempts For Machida: 7
Lyoto Machida Training Seminar
At The Martial Arts SuperShow
MMA superstar Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida, together with
his father and personal hero, shotokan karate master Yoshizo
Machida, will conduct a workout/training session entitled
“Karate is Back!” at the 2010 Martial Arts SuperShow. The
MASuperShow will be held July 5-7, 2010, at the MGM Grand
Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Machida, known as the first mixed martial arts (MMA)
fighter to use karate successfully in the Octagon, will teach
and demonstrate moves that earned him the UFC Light
Heavyweight Championship in October 2009.
At the age of three, Machida began studying shotokan
karate with his father. He was awarded his black belt in
shotokan at 13 and went on to earn a black belt in Brazilian
jiu-jitsu. Machida began training as an MMA fighter at age
17. He won the Brazilian Karate Championship twice and
placed second in the South American Karate Championship.
His career as an MMA fighter began in Japan in 2003. As
of this writing, Machida's MMA record is 16-1.
Machida is a native of and resides in Brazil.
Submission Attempts Against: 5
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It is like [Brazilian] jiu-jitsu in the beginning [of UFC
competition]. It was boring, but now it is necessary
[in MMA bouts].”
Machida further elaborated on that topic in an
interview with Marcelo Alonso for Sherdog.com.
“When Royce [Gracie] started to beat his opponents
on the ground, the American fans were not used to
the ground fighting and also criticized his style, but
soon his efficient results changed peoples’ mind,”
Machida explained. “I’m not pretentious to compare
myself to the legendary Royce, but I truly think
something similar is happening with my standup
style. Now I feel people are starting to understand
and respect [it],” Machida said.
Al Yu, writing for MMAweekly.com, defended
the champion’s style.
“Machida may not always press the action, but he
counters very well,” Yu wrote. “He finds openings
with his controlled aggression and is dangerous
standing and on the ground. Machida has solid
takedown defense and has an uncanny ability to spin
out of a clinch. His unpredictability and unorthodox
[southpaw] stance sets him apart and baffles his
opponents, often leaving them flustered.”
Summary
Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida is certainly
phenomenal as a fighter, but I personally admire him
for a few other important reasons. For one, unlike
many of today’s MMA fighters, he’s well-educated. He
graduated from the University of Para with a degree in
Physical Education.
But the main reason I really admire him is because
of his character traits, traits he portrays in and out
of the Octagon. In this new MMA era, where brash
young fighters are progressively exhibiting corny and
sometimes distasteful pro-wrestling behavior, Lyoto
Machida represents karate and, for that matter, all the
martial arts in a way that promotes dignity, honor,
and respect. Even the original “Dragon,” Bruce Lee,
would, I believe, be proud of him.
maSUCCESS Managing Editor John Corcoran is a
veteran karate black belt and the recipient of the 2004
“Funakoshi Award,” the elite award of the Martial Arts
History Museum Hall of Fame. He has written millions
of words about the martial arts in a 38-year body of
work encompassing books, magazines and movies. He
can be contacted at [email protected].
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