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Lyoto Machida will full his contract with Bellator when he steps contained in the cage Friday in London towards Fabian Edwards. After going 2-3 in his first 5 promotional appearances, “The Dragon” admits the considered being a free agent can go two alternative ways.
Returning to middleweight for what may very well be his closing Bellator bout, his “superb” weight class even thought be received a UFC belt at mild heavyweight up to now, Machida stated in an interview with MMA Preventing he’s not overthinking the window of alternative that begins Friday.
“I needed to do that final struggle of my contract and I don’t understand how issues might be from right here on, if I’ll have extra alternatives in Bellator or in different promotions,” Machida stated. “Being a free agent is sweet since you’re free to barter, even in different sports activities, however, however, you’re type of free. I swear I’m not considering an excessive amount of about it, I’m simply eager about finishing this contract effectively.”
A veteran of 37 MMA bouts towards the who’s who of a number of weight courses and wins over former MMA champions like Dan Henderson, Randy Couture, Gegard Mousasi, Mauricio Rua, Rashad Evans, Tito Ortiz, B.J. Penn, Rich Franklin, Ryan Bader and Vitor Belfort, Machida finds himself at a crossroads in his profession.
Machida continues to be a notable title of the game as he nears his forty fourth birthday later this month, however being on a three-fight dropping skid in rematches with Mousasi, Bader and Phil Davis might put him in a must-win scenario towards Edwards to be able to safe the higher deal attainable subsequent.
“Strain will all the time exist whatever the scenario you’re in,” Machida stated. “If you happen to’re combating for a belt, there’s strain. If you happen to’re defending the belt, it’s one other kind of strain. If you happen to’re making your promotional debut, there’s strain. Strain will all the time be there. Coping with strain is what makes the distinction. At the moment, with the maturity I’ve gained by my experiences and finding out and studying, I can dominate that. Strain will all the time exist, however we are able to deal with it.”
Machida scored his Bellator wins over Sonnen, by knockout, and former middleweight champion Rafael Carvalho, in a cut up determination, and is open to re-signing with the corporate. As for the UFC, a spot he left “with no arduous emotions,” Machida stated it’s “too quickly” to debate risk returning.
“I received to some extent of my profession the place each struggle is like my final,” Machida stated. “What does that imply? It means I’m centered on this struggle. We don’t find out about tomorrow. I say goodbye to a buddy on the street prefer it’s the final time I’m seeing him, however we are able to meet once more subsequent week. You by no means know.”
Requested if he might stroll away from MMA for good and pursue alternatives in different sports activities like boxing and karate, Machida stated “I prefer to struggle MMA, I prefer it loads, and I really feel younger to compete.”
“It’s arduous to say this may very well be my final [MMA] struggle,” he stated.
Coming off three straight defeats contained in the Bellator cage, Machida stated there wasn’t a lot selection as for who could be his subsequent opponent. Edwards, 9-2 within the sport and 4-2 beneath the Bellator banner, is on a two-fight skid towards Costello van Steenis and Austin Vanderford. But, “The Dragon” received’t pay an excessive amount of consideration at what he does contained in the cage.
“I wanna let issues go,” Machida stated. “That is MMA. My head is extra open to MMA than what it was up to now. Up to now, I subconsciously needed to defend karate, and the game evolves in a method which you can’t be tied to something. He’s a troublesome man, an excellent fighter, however we’ve to fret about our recreation.”
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