| Lyoto Machida | |
|---|---|
 Machida in 2011 | |
| Born | Lyoto Carvalho Machida[1] (1978-05-30)30 May 1978 (age 46) Salvador, Bahia, Brazil |
| Other names | The Dragon |
| Residence | Palos Verdes, California, U.S. |
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
| Weight | 185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb) |
| Division | Heavyweight (2003–2006) Light heavyweight (2006–2013, 2019–2021) Middleweight (2013–2019, 2022–present) |
| Reach | 74 in (190 cm)[2] |
| Stance | Southpaw |
| Fighting out of | Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Team | Black House Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy Kings MMA |
| Teacher(s) | Yoshizo Machida Antonio Inoki Wallid Ismail |
| Rank | 3rddan black belt inShotokan karate under Yoshizo Machida[3] Black belt inBrazilian jiu-jitsu under Walter Broca[4] |
| Years active | 2003–present (MMA) |
| Mixed martial arts record | |
| Total | 38 |
| Wins | 26 |
| By knockout | 11 |
| By submission | 2 |
| By decision | 13 |
| Losses | 12 |
| By knockout | 4 |
| By submission | 2 |
| By decision | 6 |
| Other information | |
| Mixed martial arts record fromSherdog | |
Last updated on: 19 April 2018 (2018-04-19) | |
Lyoto Carvalho Machida (町田龍太,Machida Ryōto,Portuguese pronunciation:[liˈotumaˈʃidɐ], born 30 May 1978) is aBrazilian professionalmixed martial artist.[5] He formerly competed for theUltimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he was a formerUFC Light Heavyweight Champion, as well as aUFC Middleweight Championship title challenger. He most recently competed inBellator MMA in the Light Heavyweight and Middleweight divisions.
Lyoto was born inSalvador,Bahia state, as the third son ofShotokankarate master Yoshizo Machida (町田嘉三),[6] the highly ranked head of the Brazilian branch of theJapan Karate Association.[7] Yoshizo moved to Brazil fromIbaraki Prefecture in Japan when he was 22 years old, where he met and married Lyoto's Brazilian mother, Ana Cláudia. In Japanese, Lyoto's name (龍太) is read as "Ryūta" (or "Lyūta" – Japanese language does not differentiate the letters "L" and "R"). However, his mother opposed it, as names ending in "a" are generally feminine in Portuguese. Because of that, they decided to name him Lyoto, with the masculine ending "o".[8][9] Growing up inBelém, Lyoto began training inKarate at the age of 3 and earned hisblack belt at the age of 13.[10] He also began training inSumo at the age of 8, and thenBrazilian Jiu-Jitsu andJudo at 16. He won a number of amateur karate tournaments, including the 2001 Pan American Karate tournament.[11] Later he travelled to Thailand to studyMuay Thai, to Japan to studyCatch Wrestling at theNew Japan Pro-WrestlingDojo and finally to the United States to pursue hisUFC career.
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 beltRafael Lovato Jr. atL.A. Sub X. In addition to his sumo and karate achievements, he has a college degree in Physical Education.
Machida trained at theInoki L.A. Dojo for six months in 2003 where he lived with future professional wrestlersShinsuke Nakamura andBryan Danielson.[12]
Machida began his career in mixed martial arts under the management of legendary professional wrestler and MMA pioneerAntonio Inoki in Japan. On 2 May 2003, he defeated Kengo Watanabe by decision in his professional debut on a card promoted byNew Japan Pro-Wrestling in Tokyo. During this time he competed under the name ofLyoto, written in all caps. He was discussed by Inoki as a symbolic "successor" figure for himself, asNaoya Ogawa andKazuyuki Fujita had been in the past.[13]
In his second fight, he defeated futureUFC Hall of FamerStephan Bonnar bytechnical knockout due to a cut in theinaugural event promoted byJungle Fight inManaus, Brazil. This was Bonnar's first professional loss.
On 31 December 2003, he took part in Inoki's annual eventInoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2003, where he fought futureUFC Middleweight ChampionRich Franklin in acatchweight bout in which both men weighed in at 214 lb (97 kg). In front of over 40,000 fans atKobe Wing Stadium, Machida defeated Franklin via TKO in the second round. He staggered Franklin with a counter left punch and knocked him down with a front kick to the face, finishing up with punches which forced the referee to stop the fight. This was Franklin's first professional defeat.
Following this, Machida went on to compete for theK-1 promotion, where he beatkickboxersMichael McDonald (by submission) andSam Greco (by split decision) under MMA rules. When K-1 began promotingHero's, a series of fight cards featuring only MMA bouts rather than cards mixed with kickboxing matches, Machida was transferred there. He took on formerUFC Welterweight ChampionB.J. Penn on 26 March 2005, inSaitama atHero's 1 in anopenweight match. Machida weighed in at 225 lb (102 kg) while Penn weighed in at 191 lb (87 kg).[14] Machida won by unanimous decision.
Machida made his UFC debut on the preliminary card ofUFC 67 againstSam Hoger and won by unanimous decision. He was expected to fightForrest Griffin atUFC 70, but Griffin was out due to astaph infection and was replaced by undefeatedDavid Heath,[15] whom Machida beat by unanimous decision. He next facedjudo practitioner andPride Fighting Championship veteranKazuhiro Nakamura atUFC 76. Machida won by unanimous decision and Nakamura would later test positive for marijuana.[16]
AtUFC 79, Machida facedSokoudjou, a judo practitioner making his UFC debut after back-to-back upset knockout victories over Pride veteransAntônio Rogério Nogueira andRicardo Arona. Machida submitted Sokoudjou with anarm triangle choke at 4:20 of the second round.[17]
Machida's next fight was atUFC 84 against former UFC Light Heavyweight ChampionTito Ortiz, in what was thought to be Ortiz's final UFC appearance after a dispute with UFC PresidentDana White.[18] Machida frustrated Ortiz with lateral movement and counterstriking while successfully defending against the former champion's takedowns. In the closing minutes of the third round Machida knocked Ortiz down with a knee to the body. As Machida moved in to finish the fight, Ortiz almost locked in atriangle choke before transitioning to anarmbar attempt.[19] Machida managed to escape and win by unanimous decision, with all judges scoring the fight 30–27 in his favor.[20] Years after the bout, Dana White revealed that the only time he ever awarded a personal check of his to a fighter was to Machida, for defeating Ortiz.[21]
In the co-main event ofUFC 94, Machida faced fellow undefeated Brazilian contenderThiago Silva.[22] The two were originally scheduled to meet atUFC 89, but a back injury forced Silva to withdraw from the contest.[23] UFC President Dana White indicated in the pre-fight press conference that Machida would receive a title shot with a victory, while Silva would need to defeat Machida and win one more contest before earning the same opportunity.[24] Machida was able to knock down Silva twice during the first round before ultimately knocking him out after tripping him and jumping in landing the knockout punch at 4:59 of the first round, scoring his first UFC knockout victory and winning his firstKnockout of the Night bonus award.[25]
Despite Machida's knockout of Thiago Silva, Dana White indicated that he was not the number one contender for a title shot. Instead, a scheduled fight between former UFC Light Heavyweight ChampionQuinton Jackson andKeith Jardine would determine Machida's title fate. A victory for Jackson would earn him a fight with championRashad Evans, but a win for Jardine would mean Machida would be awarded with a title shot.[26] Jackson won the fight via unanimous decision, but torn ligaments in his jaw forced the former champion out of the bout. Instead, Machida would challenge Evans for the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship atUFC 98.[27] Jackson would retain his title shot against the winner of that match upon returning from injury.
Machida then met Light Heavyweight Champion Rashad Evans in another clash of undefeated fighters on the main event ofUFC 98. Machida scored an early knockdown in the first round and ultimately knocked Evans out with a flurry of punches at 3:57 of the second round, becoming the tenth UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. His performance earned himKnockout of the Night honors with a $60,000 bonus for the second time.[28]
Machida was expected to face Quinton Jackson in his first title defense, but Jackson opted to coach the tenth season ofThe Ultimate Fighter instead.[29]Pride Fighting Championship's 2005 Middleweight Grand Prix winnerMaurício Rua was then selected as Machida's first title challenger.[29] The bout took place on 24 October 2009, atUFC 104, with Machida winning by unanimous decision, 48–47 from all three judges, with one stating that Machida "landed the more damaging strikes throughout the fight" and was the more "effective aggressor".[30]
Out of the three judges, Nelson Hamilton gave Machida rounds 2, 3 and 4. Cecil Peoples and Marcos Rosales each gave Machida the first three rounds. In spite of this, a significant amount of the audience in attendance booed the decision after it was delivered, voicing their support for Rua. Writers for a number of sports websites and magazines also claimed they felt Rua had won.[31][32] There were also MMA fighters in attendance who voiced support for the decision, among them were several of Machida's training partners, includingAntônio Rodrigo Nogueira,Junior dos Santos,José Aldo,Rafael Cavalcante andAnderson Silva.[33] A FightMetric analysis of the fight suggested that Rua had been more aggressive and had landed more blows to the head and legs than Machida,[34] while CompuStrike reported that Rua landed almost twice as many strikes as Machida did. Both FightMetric and CompuStrike explicitly state on their websites that they are not intended to be used to judge MMA events, and are merely a way to track a fighter's activity.[35]
Because of the controversy surrounding the close decision, on 8 May 2010, atUFC 113 inMontreal, Quebec, Canada, Machida and Rua rematched, seven months after their original fight.[36] In the much anticipated rematch, both fighters started aggressively and scored significant points in striking exchanges, with Machida scoring two takedowns during the round. Rua showed strong defense on the ground, spinning to attempt akneebar before both fighters returned to their feet. In a striking exchange, Rua swerved to avoid a left straight from Machida and landed a powerful counter overhand right to the temple, which knocked Machida down. Rua then took the full mount and proceeded to knock Machida out withground-and-pound, making him the new Light Heavyweight Champion at 3:35 of round 1,[37] with Machida suffering his first MMA career loss.
In his first fight after losing the title, Machida faced Quinton "Rampage" Jackson on the main event ofUFC 123.[38] During the first round Machida landed several leg kicks and some counter punches while Rampage predominantly landed from the clinch, utilizing stomps and punches to Machida's side. Both Compustrike[39] and Fightmetric[40] records show that Rampage out-struck Machida when counting blows such as stomps and elbows to the thigh in the clinch, while Machida landed more strikes during the standup exchanges. In the second round, Compustrike and Fightmetric records show Rampage as the busier overall fighter, and Rampage also scored a takedown. The cleanest and most significant blow of the second round was an uppercut landed by Rampage. In the third round, Machida landed a counter left that stunned Rampage and followed it with a flurry of punches, kicks and knees that backed Jackson into the cage. When Rampage tried to retaliate, Machida scored a takedown, eventually gaining full mount and attempted a submission. At the end of the bout, Rampage was declared the winner via split decision.[41]
In the post-fight interview, Rampage expressed that the fairest thing would be to offer Machida an immediate rematch, as he felt he had lost the fight.[41] Five of 7 media outlets scored the bout in favor of Machida.[42] However, since UFC President Dana White personally felt that Rampage won the fight, he denied the possibility of an immediate rematch. This generated some controversy, as White had previously awarded an immediate rematch to Rua in spite of a unanimous judgment decision awarded to Machida in that fight.[43]
Machida was then set to face UFC Hall of FamerRandy Couture on 30 April 2011, atUFC 129.[44] UFC President Dana White had indicated that Machida was under pressure to perform in his upcoming bout against Couture, saying, "this is a must-win for him."[45] Machida defeated Couture via KO with a jumpingfront kick to the face at 1:02 of the second round, earning his thirdKnockout of the Night bonus award.[46][47] Machida's kick received praise for being similar to theCrane kick featured in the 1984 movieThe Karate Kid. Dana White commented that Machida's performance versus Couture put him back into the mix at the top of the division, but stated that he was not yet the next in line for a title shot.[48] Joe Rogan ranked it as the 4th Deadliest Head Kick Knockout in 2015.[49]
Machida was then briefly linked to a rematch with Rashad Evans atUFC 133, replacing an injuredPhil Davis.[50][51] However, Dana White claimed that Machida wanted "Anderson Silva money" for taking the fight on short notice and the UFC decided to schedule Tito Ortiz for the fight with Evans.[52][53]
Machida was in talks to face Phil Davis, but the fight did not happen due to Davis needing more time to recover from knee surgery.[54] Instead, Machida replaced an injuredRashad Evans and faced UFC Light Heavyweight ChampionJon Jones on 10 December 2011, in the main event ofUFC 140.[55] After a first round that saw Machida rock Jones with a punch, in the second round Jones took Machida down and cut him with an elbow strike. After standing up, Machida was knocked down with a straight left counter and then caught in a standingguillotine and choked unconscious at 4:26 of the second round, losing the title bout by technical submission.[56] Both men wonFight of the Night honors.[57]
Machida then facedThe Ultimate Fighter Season 8 winnerRyan Bader on 4 August 2012, in the co-main event ofUFC on Fox 4.[58] In a dominant performance throughout the contest, Machida knocked out Bader with a counter right hand at the 1:32 mark of the second round. As a result, Machida was expected to get another title shot.[59]
Following the abrupt cancellation ofUFC 151, Machida's rematch with Jon Jones was expected to take place atUFC 152,[60] but Machida declined the fight citing that he did not have ample time to prepare, and was replaced byVitor Belfort.[61] As a result of turning down the fight atUFC 152, it was later confirmed by the UFC that Machida no longer had an immediate title shot.
Machida faced the FinalStrikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion,Pride Middleweight Champion,Pride Welterweight Champion and at that time #1 contenderDan Henderson on 23 February 2013, on the co-main event ofUFC 157.[62] The winner of the fight was expected to get a title shot. Machida defeated Henderson via split decision, but ultimatelyAlexander Gustafsson was given the title shot against Jon Jones.[63]
Machida returned to his native Brazil to facePhil Davis on 3 August 2013, atUFC 163.[64][65] Davis defeated Machida by unanimous decision. This caused controversy among many MMA fans.[66][67] In one sample, 13 of 13 media outlets scored the bout in favor of Machida. ESPN scored it for Davis.[67] Davis had takedowns near the end of rounds one and two, and landed a few punches on the ground, which formed his only significant offense in the fight. Many UFC affiliate bloggers also scored the fight 30–27 in favor of Machida.[68] UFC President Dana White stated shortly after the fight that he had Machida winning all three rounds,[69] and later toldYahoo! Sports that "Machida definitely won" and "MMA judging sucks".[70] Fightmetric analysis shows that while Davis landed more total strikes, Machida landed the more significant strikes.[71] ESPN released a similar analysis tracking each fighter's activity in each category, and reporting the 29–28 victory scored by the three judges at ringside.[72] After the loss but before his move to middleweight, Machida remained higher than Davis in the official UFC rankings.[73]
Dana White announced on 21 August 2013, during Fox Sports Live that Machida would be dropping down to themiddleweight division. He was expected to faceTim Kennedy on 6 November 2013, on the main event ofUFC: Fight for the Troops 3.[74] However, Machida was pulled from the bout and was set to face his friend and training partnerMark Muñoz on 26 October 2013, atUFC Fight Night 30, replacing Muñoz's original opponentMichael Bisping, who was forced out of the bout with an eye injury.[75] Machida defeated Muñoz via head kick KO at the 3:10 mark of the first round, earning him his fourthKnockout of the Night award.[76][77] Machida was praised for demonstrating class andsportsmanship by not throwing any additional punches to the grounded Muñoz after knocking him down before the referee stopped the fight. He became a free agent after the bout, and after entertaining offers from various promotions he re-signed with the UFC.[78]
In his second bout in the middleweight division, Machida returned to Brazil and faced formerStrikeforce Light Heavyweight ChampionGegard Mousasi in the main event ofUFC Fight Night 36 on 15 February 2014.[79] Machida won the fight via unanimous decision after five rounds, also earning his secondFight of the Night bonus award.[80]
Machida was then expected to get a title shot against the winner of theUFC 173 fight between UFC Middleweight ChampionChris Weidman andVitor Belfort. However, after Belfort withdrew from the bout on 28 February 2014, it was announced that Machida would replace him in the main eventUFC 173 on 24 May 2014.[81][82] On 24 March 2014, it was revealed that Weidman would need to undergo knee surgery.[83] The title fight with Weidman was rescheduled and eventually took place atUFC 175 on 5 July 2014.[84] Machida lost the fight via unanimous decision.[85] After Weidman had controlled much of the action throughout the first three rounds with his wrestling and relentless pressure, Machida began to find his range on his strikes in the fourth. Machida landed a number of hard strikes in the round including a left hook which stunned Weidman at the very end of the round. Machida would continue to find success striking early in the fifth as well. However, Weidman would land several hard shots of his own later in the round before seemingly clinching the round with a takedown and controlling Machida from top position for over a minute, although Machida managed to stand up and attack with a flurry of strikes in the closing seconds of the fight. Despite losing on the scorecards, Machida earned his thirdFight of the Night bonus award for his performance.[86]
Machida next facedC. B. Dollaway on 20 December 2014 atUFC Fight Night 58.[87] Machida won the fight via TKO only 62 seconds into the first round after landing a body kick that dropped Dollaway, finishing him with a barrage of punches that forced the referee to stop the fight.[88] Machida also earned aPerformance of the Night bonus award.[89]
Machida facedLuke Rockhold on 18 April 2015, atUFC on Fox 15.[90] He lost the fight via submission in the second round after being dominated on the ground by Rockhold throughout the whole of the fight.[91]
Machida facedYoel Romero on 27 June 2015, atUFC Fight Night 70.[92] After a fairly competitive first two rounds, Machida lost the fight via knockout in the third round.[93]
A rematch withDan Henderson was expected to take place on 16 April 2016, atUFC on Fox 19.[94] However, on 13 April, the UFC announced that Machida declared the usage of a banned substance –7-Keto-DHEA – during an out-of-competition sample collection the week prior. Machida stated that he was unaware that the substance was prohibited both in and out of competition. Therefore, he was removed from the bout and Henderson was re-booked for another event at a later date.[95] Machida was ultimately suspended for 18 months by USADA, becoming eligible to return on 8 October 2017.[96]
On 13 August 2016, Machida faced former Strikeforce middleweight champion and UFC welterweight contender,Jake Shields, in a grappling only benefit event called Submit Cancer. After gaining top control, Shields submitted the much larger Machida by inside heel hook with just 30 seconds left in the match.[97]
In his first fight after returning from his suspension, Machida facedDerek Brunson on 28 October 2017 atUFC Fight Night 119.[98] He lost the fight via knockout in the first round.[99]
Machida facedEryk Anders on 3 February 2018 atUFC Fight Night 125.[100] He won the fight via split decision, snapping his 3-fight losing streak.[101]
Machida facedVitor Belfort on 12 May 2018 atUFC 224.[102] He won the fight via knock-out in the second round.[103] This win earned him thePerformance of the Night award.[104]
On 22 June 2018, it was reported that Machida signed a multi-fight contract withBellator MMA.[105] On 12 September, it was announced that Machida is set to make his promotional debut against formerBellator Middleweight ChampionRafael Carvalho in the co-headliner ofBellator 213.[106] On weigh-in day, Carvalho missed weight, weighing in at 186.5 pounds, over the non-title Middleweight limit of 186.0 pounds. Carvalho was fined 20% of his purse and the fight proceeded as aCatchweight bout. Machida went on to defeat Carvalho by split decision.[107]
On 4 April 2019, it was announced that Machida would be facingChael Sonnen in a light heavyweight bout atBellator 222 on 14 June 2019 atMadison Square Garden.[108] He won the fight via TKO in the second round.[109]
Machida rematched prior UFC opponentGegard Mousasi atBellator 228 on 28 September 2019.[110] He lost the bout via split decision.[111]
Machida headlinedBellator 245 in a rematch againstPhil Davis on September 11, 2020.[112] He lost the fight by split decision.[113]
On February 9, 2021, it was announced that Machida would be participating in the Bellator Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix. He facedRyan Bader in the quarterfinal round. This was a rematch of their August 2012 bout, which saw Machida win via second round knockout. The bout took place atBellator 256 on April 9, 2021.[114] In the first round Machida had success with his kicks, outstriking Bader, but would soon be dominated for the next four rounds by Bader's wrestling and ground and pound, losing the fight via unanimous decision.[115]
Returning to Middleweight in the last fight of his prevailing contract, Machida facedFabian Edwards on May 13, 2022 atBellator 281.[116][117] He lost the fight via knockout in the first round.[118]
Machida uses a unique,[119] unorthodox style in MMA that combines elements from his diverse training background. His style is based mainly on tactics usingShotokan karate andBrazilian jiu-jitsu, but also integrates techniques fromwrestling andsumo,[120] which Machida says makes him "fully prepared for any situation" in the Octagon. Often described as "elusive," Machida relies on cautious and precisecounter-striking that frustrates his opponents into making mistakes.[121][122][123] Machida has earned considerable respect from MMA fans, fighters, and commentators for his effectiveness and winning ways.[124][125][126] At the same time, his cerebral and conservative style is sometimes deemed boring and unsatisfying to watch.[122][124][127][128] Machida has drawn fire from fans,[129][130] and criticism from MMA commentators[131][132] for his limited aggression and many decision victories. In response to these criticisms, Machida said, "If you don't like it, sorry. I always try to win."[133] He also stated that he believes fans are coming to appreciate the efficiency of his style just like they came to appreciateRoyce Gracie's jiu-jitsu.[128]
Machida defied expectations atUFC 94,[130][134] where he earnedKnockout of the Night honors for his first-round stoppage of then-undefeatedThiago Silva. Machida 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. In addition, Machida showcased his improvedEnglish during interviews for the event, which gave him the ability to connect with fans more easily.[135] Machida's limited English was previously seen as a marketing liability.[136][137][138] After knocking out Rashad Evans atUFC 98, in the post fight interview withJoe Rogan, Machida announced to his fans, "Karate is back! Machida Karate!" Many fans have referred to his style as "Machida Karate" since then.
In an issue of MMA Unltd magazine, Machida once again mentioned the phrase "Machida Karate", claiming that it was based on a very traditional form which is very different from modern sports karate. He also said that the karate seen nowadays has lost many techniques over the years in which it was practiced, and that his style was one of the very few that still kept those techniques. "My style is Machida Karate and it is a very traditional form", he said, "It differs from sports karate which we usually see in karate schools and competitions as it has many elements which were lost in the style including the use of knees, elbows, takedowns and even some submissions". Machida is a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under Walter Broca.[4]
During his fight with Ryan Bader,Joe Rogan mentioned that Machida's karate style meant his fighting distance and range is at least a foot farther than a typical boxer or Muay Thai fighter. Machida controls the range and avoids being hit or rushed effectively, but does so in a way that is different fromAnderson Silva (who controls range through a variety of strikes and kicks) and Jon Jones (who controls range using his reach). Like Silva though, Machida changes stance from southpaw to orthodox frequently, with minimal drop-off in efficiency. While his kicks do not seem to land with as much power because he does not step into his kicks, they have quicker release with no tells, so they are difficult to anticipate and counter.[139] Despite this purported lack of power, Machida's combination of accuracy, traditional kicking style, and frequent hip and eye feints have allowed him to finish several fights with his kicks, as he did againstRandy Couture,Mark Muñoz,C. B. Dollaway, andVitor Belfort.[140]
Machida's wife is named Fabyola,[141] and they have two sons. They reside inPalos Verdes Estates, California.[142]
Lyoto's older brother Chinzô is also a Shotokan karate champion and MMA fighter, who previously competed inBellator MMA.[143] Lyoto and Chinzô fought in a karate tournament final over ten years ago in which Lyoto gave Chinzô a cheek scar that still exists today.[144] His other brothers include Kenzo Machida, a TV journalist for one of Brazil's biggest TV stations, and Take Machida.
| 38 matches | 26 wins | 12 losses |
| By knockout | 11 | 4 |
| By submission | 2 | 2 |
| By decision | 13 | 6 |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 26–12 | Fabian Edwards | KO (elbow and punches) | Bellator 281 | 13 May 2022 | 1 | 3:18 | London, England | Return to Middleweight. |
| Loss | 26–11 | Ryan Bader | Decision (unanimous) | Bellator 256 | 9 April 2021 | 5 | 5:00 | Uncasville, Connecticut, United States | Bellator Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix Quarterfinal. |
| Loss | 26–10 | Phil Davis | Decision (split) | Bellator 245 | 11 September 2020 | 3 | 5:00 | Uncasville, Connecticut, United States | Return to Light Heavyweight. |
| Loss | 26–9 | Gegard Mousasi | Decision (split) | Bellator 228 | 28 September 2019 | 3 | 5:00 | Inglewood, California, United States | |
| Win | 26–8 | Chael Sonnen | TKO (flying knee and punches) | Bellator 222 | 14 June 2019 | 2 | 0:22 | New York City, New York, United States | Light Heavyweight bout. |
| Win | 25–8 | Rafael Carvalho | Decision (split) | Bellator 213 | 15 December 2018 | 3 | 5:00 | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States | Catchweight (186.5 lb) bout; Carvalho missed weight. |
| Win | 24–8 | Vitor Belfort | KO (front kick) | UFC 224 | 12 May 2018 | 2 | 1:00 | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | Performance of the Night. |
| Win | 23–8 | Eryk Anders | Decision (split) | UFC Fight Night: Machida vs. Anders | 3 February 2018 | 5 | 5:00 | Belém, Brazil | |
| Loss | 22–8 | Derek Brunson | KO (punches) | UFC Fight Night: Brunson vs. Machida | 28 October 2017 | 1 | 2:30 | São Paulo, Brazil | |
| Loss | 22–7 | Yoel Romero | KO (elbows) | UFC Fight Night: Machida vs. Romero | 27 June 2015 | 3 | 1:38 | Hollywood, Florida, United States | |
| Loss | 22–6 | Luke Rockhold | Submission (rear-naked choke) | UFC on Fox: Machida vs. Rockhold | 18 April 2015 | 2 | 2:31 | Newark, New Jersey, United States | |
| Win | 22–5 | C. B. Dollaway | TKO (body kick and punches) | UFC Fight Night: Machida vs. Dollaway | 20 December 2014 | 1 | 1:02 | Barueri, Brazil | Performance of the Night. |
| Loss | 21–5 | Chris Weidman | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 175 | 5 July 2014 | 5 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | For theUFC Middleweight Championship. Fight of the Night. |
| Win | 21–4 | Gegard Mousasi | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Machida vs. Mousasi | 15 February 2014 | 5 | 5:00 | Jaraguá do Sul, Brazil | Fight of the Night. |
| Win | 20–4 | Mark Muñoz | KO (head kick) | UFC Fight Night: Machida vs. Muñoz | 26 October 2013 | 1 | 3:10 | Manchester, England | Middleweight debut. Knockout of the Night. |
| Loss | 19–4 | Phil Davis | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 163 | 3 August 2013 | 3 | 5:00 | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | |
| Win | 19–3 | Dan Henderson | Decision (split) | UFC 157 | 23 February 2013 | 3 | 5:00 | Anaheim, California, United States | |
| Win | 18–3 | Ryan Bader | KO (punches) | UFC on Fox: Shogun vs. Vera | 4 August 2012 | 2 | 1:32 | Los Angeles,California, United States | |
| Loss | 17–3 | Jon Jones | Technical Submission (guillotine choke) | UFC 140 | 10 December 2011 | 2 | 4:26 | Toronto,Ontario, Canada | For theUFC Light Heavyweight Championship. Fight of the Night. |
| Win | 17–2 | Randy Couture | KO (front kick) | UFC 129 | 30 April 2011 | 2 | 1:05 | Toronto,Ontario, Canada | Knockout of the Night. |
| Loss | 16–2 | Quinton Jackson | Decision (split) | UFC 123 | 20 November 2010 | 3 | 5:00 | Auburn Hills, Michigan, United States | |
| Loss | 16–1 | Maurício Rua | KO (punches) | UFC 113 | 8 May 2010 | 1 | 3:35 | Montreal,Quebec, Canada | Lost theUFC Light Heavyweight Championship. |
| Win | 16–0 | Maurício Rua | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 104 | 24 October 2009 | 5 | 5:00 | Los Angeles, California, United States | Defended theUFC Light Heavyweight Championship. |
| Win | 15–0 | Rashad Evans | KO (punches) | UFC 98 | 23 May 2009 | 2 | 3:57 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Won theUFC Light Heavyweight Championship. Knockout of the Night. |
| Win | 14–0 | Thiago Silva | KO (punches) | UFC 94 | 31 January 2009 | 1 | 4:59 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Knockout of the Night. |
| Win | 13–0 | Tito Ortiz | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 84 | 24 May 2008 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 12–0 | Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou | Submission (arm-triangle choke) | UFC 79 | 29 December 2007 | 2 | 4:20 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 11–0 | Kazuhiro Nakamura | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 76 | 22 September 2007 | 3 | 5:00 | Anaheim, California, United States | |
| Win | 10–0 | David Heath | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 70 | 21 April 2007 | 3 | 5:00 | Manchester, England | |
| Win | 9–0 | Sam Hoger | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 67 | 3 February 2007 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 8–0 | Vernon White | Decision (unanimous) | WFA: King of the Streets | 22 July 2006 | 3 | 5:00 | Los Angeles, California, United States | Light Heavyweight debut. |
| Win | 7–0 | Dimitri Wanderley | TKO (exhaustion) | Jungle Fight 6 | 29 April 2006 | 3 | 3:24 | Manaus, Brazil | |
| Win | 6–0 | B.J. Penn | Decision (unanimous) | Hero's 1 | 26 March 2005 | 3 | 5:00 | Saitama, Japan | Openweight bout. |
| Win | 5–0 | Sam Greco | Decision (split) | K-1 MMA ROMANEX | 22 May 2004 | 3 | 5:00 | Saitama, Japan | |
| Win | 4–0 | Michael McDonald | Submission (forearm choke) | K-1 Beast 2004 in Niigata | 14 March 2004 | 1 | 2:30 | Niigata, Japan | |
| Win | 3–0 | Rich Franklin | TKO (head kick and punches) | Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2003 | 31 December 2003 | 2 | 1:00 | Kobe, Japan | Catchweight (214 lb) bout. |
| Win | 2–0 | Stephan Bonnar | TKO (doctor stoppage) | Jungle Fight 1 | 13 September 2003 | 1 | 4:21 | Manaus, Brazil | |
| Win | 1–0 | Kengo Watanabe | Decision (unanimous) | NJPW Ultimate Crush | 2 May 2003 | 3 | 5:00 | Tokyo, Japan | Heavyweight debut. |
| No. | Event | Fight | Date | PPV Buys |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | UFC 94 | Machida vs.Silva (co) | 31 January 2009 | 920,000[162] |
| 2. | UFC 98 | Evans vs.Machida | 23 May 2009 | 635,000 |
| 3. | UFC 104 | Machida vs.Shogun | 24 October 2009 | 500,000 |
| 4. | UFC 113 | Machida vs.Shogun 2 | 8 May 2010 | 520,000 |
| 5. | UFC 123 | Rampage vs.Machida | 20 November 2010 | 500,000 |
| 6. | UFC 140 | Jones vs.Machida | 10 December 2011 | 485,000 |
| 7. | UFC 157 | Henderson vs.Machida (co) | 23 February 2013 | 450,000 |
| 8. | UFC 163 | Machida vs.Davis (co) | 3 August 2013 | 180,000 |
| 9. | UFC 175 | Weidman vs.Machida | 5 July 2014 | 545,000 |
| Total sales | 4,715,000 | |||
| Achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | 10thUFC Light Heavyweight Champion 23 May 2009 – 8 May 2010 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
