Lyoto Machida :: TATAME

UFC light heavyweight champion, Lyoto Machida talked to TATAME in Rio de Janeiro about his recovering, after the hand surgery, and the changes to the rematch against Maurício “Shogun”, on UFC. On the chat that you see below, the karate man revealed that he wouldn’t like to face Rogério “Minotouro”, who recently debuted with knock out on UFC, and may train with Anderson Silva to return to the octagon. Check below the exclusive interview.

What happened with your hand, was it after the fight with Shogun? Did you have to make a surgery, how’s the recovering?

In eight days I’ll take the immobilizer off, but I’m training the aerobic, running to keep my prepare and to recover faster. I made a surgery five days after the fight and took little pieces from bones, I expect to be hitting and training again in January. The physiotherapy starts in a week.

And the fight with Shogun, hen it’s gonna be?

It’s verbally agreed, but, for now, that’s nothing on the contract yet. But it was promised and this fight will happen.

Shogun studied your game a lot and you, as a strategically fighter, what do you intend to change?

I think that we’ve learned a lot with this fight, both of us. It was a fight that I maybe needed to pass hard times to develop. I didn’t stop yet to analyze the changes that will happen because I’ll start the training in January, and for now I’m recovering physically and mentally.

And the training? Will you keep training in Belém or will you train in Los Angeles with Anderson?

Anderson and I always meet and train a little together, but he has other commitments too and it’s hard to take Anderson away from this focus right now. If we have the opportunity to meet we’ll train together, if we don’t, I’ll keep doing my regular training.

Minotouro is coming... Who do you think that will gonna be fighting for the belt on 2010?

There’s a lot of people, a lot of Brazilians, what’s good to the sport and to everybody. The thing narrows each time more and everybody knows that my category ist he most disputed, so I have to worry about me to keep this belt for a long time.

How would it be a fight between you two? Would you fight?

I think it’s hard that fight happens, we have the same manager, we’re from the same team and we have a good relationship. From me and from him, that’s not a god fight to happen, but we’re here to face other fighters. Let’s see what will happen from now on.

And the fight between Rashad and Thiago? You already knocked both out. How do you think this fight is gonna be?

It’s a hard fight to analyze, both are very good and have a great team, that’s a moment thing. Rashad fights strategically and if Thiago is well prepared he’s dangerous... You’ll only know on time.