MMA legend Lyoto Machida has been turning heads for years with his uncompromising, brutal karate-oriented style of fighting. With the end of his Bellator contract looming, Machida told the Trocação Franca podcast that he’ll be returning to karate – if the right offer comes along.
That means taking on another high-level practitioner of the art under karate rules. “The action doesn’t stop at Karate Combat, so that favors me.
Lyoto Machida Calls out Wonderboy, GSP… for Karate Fightnt
With that in mind, I don’t care too much who’s on the other side because it’s an art I dominate, an art where the action doesn’t stop and there’s more contact. It doesn’t matter if the guy will touch my face because I’ll fire back, too. It’s like MMA, just a bit more restricted in terms of rules.”
Supposedly, Karate Combat – a leading karate promotion – will be meeting with Machida soon to discuss options following the expiry of his Bellator contract. Although Machida was offered a new contract with Bellator, he is more interested in trying his luck as a free agent. That means keeping the door open to fight MMA fighters under karate rules.
““Stephen Thompson is a MMA guy [that I could face]. [Or] Georges St-Pierre. But Georges St-Pierre was offered it last time and didn’t want to do it. [Karate Combat] wanted to book it in the future, after my [Bellator] contract is over, but he has other plans.
I think he’s really finished his career as an athlete. [Karate Combat] called me and asked if I would fight Georges St-Pierre and I said of course, and St-Pierre said, ‘No, I have other projects.’”
Although St-Pierre seems committed to his retirement, active UFC welterweight Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson presents a very realistic option for Machida. Wonderboy, at this point, is an elite fighter who has repeatedly fallen just short of the lofty heights required to achieve welterweight gold.
In a division stacked with talent whose strength lies in high-pressure wrestling – boasting Kamaru Usman, Gilbert Burns, and Colby Covington – Wonderboy’s karate hasn’t been quite as successful as he might have hoped against the welterweight elite.
In a pure karate competition, however, it’s a different story. Thompson, Machida pointed out, is active, young, and still competitive.
“Then it’s different. Stephen Thompson is active, he’s younger, and he wants it. Let’s see what Karate Combat does in the future, but first I have to fight my fight in Bellator.” Do you want to see Machida vs Wonderboy? Let us know in the comments.
