Rivalries: Lyoto Machida

Lyoto Machida holds down a prominent place in mixed martial arts history.

As one of the few karatekas to thrive at the sport’s highest levels, Machida was for years a headlining attraction in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. “The Dragon” peaked in May 2009, when he laid claim to the promotion’s light heavyweight title with a highlight-reel knockout of Rashad Evans in the UFC 98 main event. Machida compiled a 16-8 record across 24 appearances—five of them in title fights—in the UFC before agreeing to terms with the Scott Coker-led Bellator MMA organization in 2018. He currently finds himself on a career-worst three-fight losing streak.

With the 43-year-old Machida’s next move still up in the air, a look at some of the rivalries that have helped chart his course:

Mauricio Rua

“Shogun” punched out the previously unbeaten Machida and captured the undisputed Ultimate Fighting Championship light heavyweight title in the first round of their UFC 113 rematch on May 8, 2010 at the Bell Centre in Montreal. Rua brought it to an emphatic close 3:35 into Round 1. Many remember it as a night when justice was served, as Machida had taken a controversial decision from the Chute Boxe product the previous October. Rua—who had battered the Shotokan karate stylist with kicks to the leg and body in their first meeting—waited seven months for his shot at redemption and made the most of his opportunity. However, he ate some knees to the body and conceded a pair of takedowns early in the first round. The 2005 Pride Fighting Championships middleweight grand prix winner ultimately returned to his feet, dropped Machida with a clubbing right hand at close range, followed him to the canvas and immediately mounted the dazed champion. A series of unanswered punches from the top left “The Dragon” motionless and unconscious, as Rua rose victoriously and raised his arms skyward.

Ryan Bader

Machida knocked out “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 8 winner in the second round of their UFC on Fox 4 co-main event on Aug. 4, 2012 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Bader met his end 92 seconds into Round 2. He never solved the riddle in front of him, as Machida lured him into his trap with kicks to the legs and body. In the second round, Bader charged forward with his powerful right hand cocked. He was met with a Machida counterpunch and folded where he stood. A pair of right hands followed, one of them with Bader on the way down, and separated the two-time NCAA All-American wrestler from his senses. Machida stood over him and bowed out of respect, providing the sport with one of the year’s most enduring images. When they met for a second time some eight-plus years later, Bader was at his peak as the defending Bellator MMA light heavyweight champion and laid claim to a five-round unanimous decision at Bellator 256.

Phil Davis

The Alliance MMA mainstay leaned on aggression, kicks, volume punches and takedowns late in each round to procure a contentious unanimous decision over Machida in the UFC 163 co-headliner on Aug. 3, 2013 at the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro. All three cageside judges scored it 29-28 for Davis, who walked into enemy territory and left with his hand raised. Machida countered beautifully throughout the 15-minute clash and, outside of single takedowns in the first and second rounds, shut down the wrestling attack of the four-time NCAA All-American and 2008 national champion. “The Dragon” appeared to land most of the consequential strikes in the 15-minute affair, including a crackling counter left hand in the second round that got Davis’ attention. While Machida turned away all of the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, native’s takedown attempts in Round 3, his efforts failed to curry enough favor with the judges. The two men rematched one another at Bellator 245 a little more than seven years later. Davis again emerged with a decision, this time via split scorecards.

Chris Weidman

The “All-American” tightened his grip on the Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight crown with a unanimous decision over Machida in the UFC 175 main event on July 5, 2014 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. All three judges scored it for the unbeaten Weidman: 49-45, 48-47 and 49-46. Persistent forward movement, an active kicking game and multiple takedowns provided the champion with the path to victory. He dictated much of the first 15 minutes, as he took away the Brazilian’s lateral movement with constant pressure and opened a cut near Machida’s right brow with a right hand in the third round. “The Dragon” made his move in the fourth, where he began to reap the rewards from his commitment to body kicks. Weidman slowed just enough to afford Machida the opportunities he needed to get back in the fight. In the fifth round, Weidman showed his mettle. The Serra-Longo Fight Team representative battled through fatigue, staggered Machida with a standing elbow and delivered his final takedown. Weidman briefly achieved mount before transitioning to the challenger’s back and applying some healthy ground-and-pound. A finish did not develop, but a hard-fought win was sealed. A last-second Machida volley fell short, as he failed in his bid to become a rare two-division UFC champion.

Gegard Mousasi

The former Bellator MMA middleweight champion avenged one of his seven professional defeats when he eked out a split decision over Machida in the Bellator 228 headliner on Sept. 28, 2019 at The Forum in Inglewood, California. Scores were 29-28 and 30-27 for Mousasi, 29-28 for Machida. Mousasi—who lost a unanimous verdict to “The Dragon” under the Ultimate Fighting Championship banner in February 2014—outpaced his counterpart in the sequel, as he answered kicks with lightning-quick counters and worked behind multi-punch bursts. Machida made his last stand in the third round, where he connected to the body, head and legs with kicks before trapping “The Dreamcatcher” in a tight guillotine choke in the closing seconds. Mousasi weathered the submission attempt, steered clear of further danger and evened his head-to-head series with the Brazilian at 1-1.