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Photo of Lyoto Machida taken in 2008.photo by Jim Moon

Top 10 Remarquable Facts about Lyoto Machida

Lyoto Carvalho Machida is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist and karateka. He has been competing in the Bellator MMA Light heavyweight division. Lyoto has been formerly competed for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). And also he was a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, as well as a UFC Middleweight Championship title challenger.

Machida was born 1978 in Salvador, Brazil. He began his career in mixed martial arts under the management of legendary professional wrestler and MMA pioneer Antonio Inoki in Japan. In 2003, he defeated Kengo Watanabe by decision in his professional debut on a card promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling in Tokyo. During this time he competed under the name of Lyoto, written in all caps. He was discussed by Inoki as a symbolic “successor” figure for himself, as Naoya Ogawa and Kazuyuki Fujita had been in the past.

He was the runner-up in the 2000 Brazilian Sumo Championships in the 115 kg division. As an adult, he became Brazilian Champion twice, and placed second in the South American Championship. He defeated American fighter and jiu-jitsu black belt Rafael Lovato Jr. at L.A. Sub X.

In addition to his sumo and karate achievements, he has a college degree in Physical Education. Machida trained at the New Japan Pro-Wrestling Dojo for six months in 2003 where he lived with future WWE Superstars Shinsuke Nakamura and Bryan Danielson.

Here are the Top 10 Remarquable Facts about Lyoto Machida

1. He is the third son of the highly ranked head of the Brazilian branch of the Japan Karate Association

Shotokan karate master who is Yoshizo Machida. Yoshizo moved to Brazil from Japan when he was 22 years old, where he met and married Lyoto’s mother. Ana Claudia who is of Brazilian descent. Lyoto grew up up in Belém, where he began training in karate at the age of 3. And earned his black belt at the age of 13.

 He also began training in sumo wrestling at the age of 8, and then BJJ and boxing at sixteen. He won a number of amateur karate tournaments, including the 2001 Pan American Karate tournament. Later he travelled to Thailand to study Muay Thai, to Japan to study grappling at the NJPW Dojo and finally to United States to pursue his UFC career.

2. Machida was the runner-up in the Brazilian sumo championship in the 115 kg division 

Photo produced for the campaign course – Yamada vs Lyoto Machida photo by Marcos Joel Reis

 In the 2000 he was the runner-up Brazilian Sumo Championships in the 115 kg division. As an adult, he became Brazilian Champion twice, and placed second in the South American Championship. He defeated American fighter and jiu-jitsu black belt Rafael Lovato Jr. at L.A. Sub X. In addition to his sumo and karate achievements, he has a college degree in Physical Education. 

3. His older brother Chinzô has been  also a Shotokan karate champion and MMA fighter who fights in Bellator MMA

Lyoto’s older brother Chinzô who has been  also a Shotokan karate champion and MMA fighter, who fights in Bellator MMA. Machida and Chinzô fought in a karate tournament final over ten years ago in which Lyoto gave Chinzô a cheek scar that still exists up to date. His other brothers include Kenzo Machida, a TV journalist for one of Brazil’s biggest TV stations, and Take Machida.

4. He uses a unique fighting style which is unorthodox style known as Machida Karate

Photo of Lyoto Machida taken in 2008.photo by Jim Moon

Machida uses a unique which is unorthodox style in MMA. That combines elements from his diverse training background. His style is based mainly on tactics using Shotokan karate and Brazilian jiu-jitsu. But also integrates techniques from wrestling and sumo, which Machida says makes him “fully prepared for any situation” in the Octagon. Often described as “elusive,” Machida relies on cautious and precise counter-striking that frustrates his opponents into making mistakes.

5. Machida earned Knockout of the Night honors in his first-round stoppage of then-undefeated Thiago Silva

Machida defied expectations at UFC 94 where he earned Knockout of the Night honors for his first-round stoppage of then-undefeated Thiago Silva. He noted that he started to include weight training in his preparation for the bout. Commentators hailed the knockout as a step in the right direction toward building interest in him as a potential champion.

6. He won the ‘Pan American Karate’ tournament

Photo produced for the campaign course – Yamada vs Lyoto Machida photo by Marcos Joel Reis

In 2001, he won the ‘Pan American Karate’ tournament before traveling to Thailand to learn Muay Thai. He also learned grappling techniques at the ‘NJPW Dojo’ in Japan. Along with learning different types of martial arts, he also pursued college education and graduated with a degree in physical education (P.E).

7. Lyoto made his professional debut in a winning effort against Japanese mixed martial artist Kengo Watanabe

Machida started his career in Japan under the management of MMA pioneer Antonio Inoki. He made his professional debut in a winning effort against Japanese mixed martial artist Kengo Watanabe in 2003. In the same year, he defeated Stephan Bonnar in a Brazilian MMA promotion called ‘Jungle Fight.’ The fight marked Bonnar’s first professional loss.

8. Machida has a third degree black belt in Machida karate

Photo of Lyoto Machida taken in 2008.photo by Jim Moon

He is a third degree black belt in Machida Karate. Lyoto Machida is a first degree black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He is known to have great counter-fighting ability. He has now retired.

9. He won the UFC light-heavyweight championship

In 2009, Machida won the UFC light-heavyweight championship from the previously undefeated Rashad Evans by knockout in the second round. Lyoto Machida also became the first light-heavyweight champion to carry out a successful title defense since Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.

10. Lyoto Machida earned his black belt at a young age

Photo produced for the campaign course – Yamada vs Lyoto Machida photo by Marcos Joel Reis

He began his training in karate at the age of 3 and earned his black belt at the age of 13. Machida also began training in sumo wrestling at the age of 8, and then BJJ and boxing at sixteen. He won a number of amateur karate tournaments, including the 2001 Pan American Karate tournament.