On May 24th, the Braziliam Lyoto Machida will face his bigest challenge at his MMA career, having in the other side of the octogon the North-American Tito Ortiz. In final training season at his father academy at Belém, Pará State, the karate fighter wants to knock Tito out and keep undefeted at the UFC. At an exclusive interview to TATAME, Lyoto talk about the trains, analised the others Brazilians UFC 84 fights and the expectation for his fight against Lyoto. Check out below the copmplete interview:
How are your trainings to face Tito?
We are in the final phase. I had a two months preparations for this fight, and my brother and my father are here with me, we are at the end of the tactical, technical part, and we have already done a lot of resistance training. We are doing the final adjustments.
What will be your strategy for this fight?
I want to win at stand up and I hope to, obviously, knock him out, or even submit him. I came from carate, but I am at the MMA and I am prepared for any situation.
Where are you training?
I am training here at my father’s academy at Belém, and I made some trainings at AKA at USA, where I trained with Josh Koshchek, two months ago.
What are you expectations for this fight?
I'm anxious. It is normal, that is normal, but I am calm, confident, and I hope to make a great fight and to give a good show on 24th. It is very important, but basically I have not thought much about having to win, I want to do my work.
Tito said you don’t hit hard enough, that your Jiu-Jitsu is just “OK” and that his stand up is better than yours and that he is going to hurt you a lot...What do you think about that?
I think he can talk what he want, but nothing shakes me. Like other people talk much before the fight, I think this It will be only decided on May 24th. Before that, he can talk what he want. ‘He will do this, he will do that, I am the best', but I am confident in my game, in my training and I believe a lot in myself.
What your expectations at others Brazilians UFC 84 fights?
I think the Brazilians are very well quoted in the UFC. At this fight, Wanderlei can win. He is an example for any athlete, he is disciplined, fought at smalls and larges events in the world, is a guy who was a champion, lost his title, is seeking again another belt and has great chances in this fight now. At technique he is better and he has more heart. Thiago Silva is unbeaten and is among the bests of the weight division and he has technique enough to go through this fight, but he is going to face another Brazilian, but I don’t know well the other one. It is a strong guy ... Wilson Gouveia has heavy hands, has showed in other events also. With Toquinho, I think if the fight goes to the ground it is dangers ... I think he will win the fight, he came very strong, submitting everybody. It is hard to say that he is not going to have a positive result.
It’s the belt at your mind?
Since my first UFC fight I think about that. I knew it was early, but I imagined that. Slowly I think I'm coming, but I just do not try to think baout that, I try to focus myself, but this is a consequence, and also depends on the event’s promoteurs. Everything is goind to be good for me. When the time came it will be great, I will be prepared, but if they give another, It will be great to because I will have more chance to prepare myself better and when I have the chance I will be prepared. |
